Washington County’s Deflection Program shows continued success in connecting individuals to treatment, housing and other resources

Deflection is a statewide program that began on September 1, 2024, with each county operating its deflection program in a way that meets the unique needs of its communities. The Washington County Deflection Program allows eligible people who are cited or arrested for misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance to avoid prosecution, possible fines and jail time by engaging in treatment and recovery support.

“What makes our program special is that we ensure people connect to the services they need and receive frequent peer support,” said Deflection Senior Program Coordinator Danielle Farr with Washington County Behavioral Health. “Substance use frequently coexists with unstable housing, food insecurity, and limited access to healthcare, including substance use treatment. Our program is personalized to address the underlying causes of substance use and addiction for each individual we serve.”

As of mid-August, 166 people have participated in deflection. Of those, 36 are currently enrolled, and 55 people have already successfully completed the six-month program. All (100%) who have completed the program underwent a substance use evaluation and were actively engaged in ongoing treatment. Approximately one-third of participants had never previously engaged in substance use disorder treatment, and another one-third had previously experienced an overdose.

Since the program began, 4D Recovery and The Peer Company, Washington County’s contracted peer-delivered services organizations, have made over 960 referrals to over 30 partner organizations for services such as housing and substance use and mental health treatment. Every deflection participant has been referred to a treatment assessment. Seventy-six percent (76%) of these referrals resulted in people receiving services. Approximately two-thirds of unhoused participants became housed while in the program, roughly 90% of uninsured participants became insured, and about 90% of participants who reported a need for language-specific services received them.

“These numbers matter, but so do the voices. The greatest impact we see comes from the personal stories of healing that participants share with us, which remind us why this work really matters,” stated Danielle. “Nothing is greater than hearing that deflection has changed a life for the better and helped someone move forward in life.”

Over the next year, Washington County will continue to grow its program through several new expansions aimed at increasing deflection participation. After broadening citation-track eligibility twice in the first year, the County launched a non-citation track in July of this year. This new pathway invites community members who are at risk of criminal justice involvement but have not received formal citations — such as other people at the scene of a citation — to connect with a dedicated deflection outreach peer and Sheriff’s Office outreach deputy to access peer support and resources and to begin their recovery.

Washington County’s Deflection Program is a collaboration among Health and Human Services, the District Attorney’s Office, the Sheriff’s Office, Community Corrections, Behavioral Health Resource Network providers, and peer-delivered services. More information is available at wcor.us/deflection.

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Pictured above: Washington County Deflection Deputy Nick Shreiber and Deflection Outreach Peer Yunuhen Salazar work together to connect individuals with services that keep them out of the criminal justice system.