Referring Young People to Diversion
The Diversion program can help youth and families throughout the 7 county 13th Judicial District in northeastern Colorado.
This includes Kit Carson, Logan, Morgan, Phillips, Sedgwick, Washington and Yuma counties.
Some concerns or situations that Diversion could help with:
Criminal Behavior
Truancy/School Attendance
Substance Use
Minor in Possession
Anger Management/Fighting
Bullying
Unhealthy Choices (sexting, internet use)
Behavior Concerns
Family Conflict
District, County, and Municipal Courts and the District Attorney's Office
Youth Diversion Programs throughout the country focus on finding alternative interventions for youth who are referred to the justice system for minor delinquent behavior. The standards define “minor delinquent behavior” as “conduct that does not rise to the level of significant or repeated harm to others, significant or repeated property loss or damage, or a threat of significant harm to others.”
With Diversion, Officers of the Court in the 13th Judicial District now have a supportive option that will educate young people rather than punish them.
Click here to make a referral now!
School Administrators, Deans of Students, and
School Counselors
The professionals who work with kids on a daily basis are often the ones who first notice when something isn’t quite right. By referring kids from schools to Diversion, we can often help them before the issues they’re facing escalate.
Truancy
Substance Use
Bullying
are a few examples of concerns for which school officials may choose to refer a student to Diversion.
Law Enforcement Officers
Our local police and sheriff departments do an amazing job with kids. Sometimes officers let a young person off with a warning when they’ve done something they shouldn’t be doing because they don’t want to see a “good kid” enter the court system.
Diversion provides an intervention option that is not punitive. Rather, kids are given the opportunity to learn from their mistakes.
Police officers are encouraged to make direct referrals to Diversion when youth are on the radar for such behavior.
Some examples include:
Substance Use
Minor in Possession
Anger Management/Fighting
Curfew Violations
Theft
Trespassing
Child Welfare Professionals
Crossover youth (involved in both the child welfare and the juvenile justice systems), are at the very top of the list of kids that we all worry about. Over the past decade, a tremendous amount of work has been done to understand how to best help youth avoid this situation, including finding alternatives to juvenile justice referrals from the child welfare system.
The Diversion program could be a great option when youth in foster care or other youth who end up on the radar within the child welfare system engage in low-level crimes or status offenses such as:
Truancy
Youth in Conflict
Substance Use
Curfew Violations
Unhealthy Behaviors
Click here to make a referral now!
What Happens Next?
You might be asking yourself, “What exactly does Diversion do? What kind of help does Diversion provide?”
Diversion services include:
Needs Assessment
Referrals for treatment and other relevant services
Service Coordination
90-Day Coaching program
1 - Needs Assessment
When youth are referred for Diversion services, the first thing that happens is a conversation. This is a strength's based, family-driven process during which the purpose is to get to know this kid and understand what they've already got going for them, as well as what areas we might be able to offer the most impactful support.
*The Arizona Needs/Risk Assessment is included in this process, as well as components of the BSTAD screening tool.
2 - Referrals, Resources and Service Coordination
When youth would benefit from multi-system service coordination, a wraparound model will be implemented to provide an individualized approach. Service providers, natural supports and the youth and family work together to help achieve the family vision. This process includes utilization of an appropriate multi-system release of information and follow up services to ensure engagement with identified service providers.
3 - Youth Contract
Once service providers are identified, the youth will agree to their Diversion Contract.
The Youth Diversion Contract may include different combinations of the following:
School requirements
Employment
Direct Supervision (Probation or CYDC)
Useful Public Service (U.P.S.)
Restitution to victims of offense
Letters of apology
Alcohol/Drug evaluation and treatment
Drug or alcohol testing
Counseling
4 - 90-Day Coaching Program
All youth who are enrolled in Diversion will be guided through a crash course in self-development that will lead to greater self-awareness and purpose-driven decision making. This process includes access to education programs through an online portal where daily lessons are given through videos and interactive activities that help youth internalize the principles and apply what they are learning to their current life situation. Youth also engage in weekly coaching calls and periodic check-ins throughout the program.
Coaching is geared to help youth maximize the life lessons available to them through to the incident that led to their referral.
Key concepts taught include:
Identity
Purpose
Core Values
Decision-Making Skills
Goal Achievement
Cognitive Behavioral Skills
and Resilience
Click here to learn more about the coaching program!
5 - Graduation!
"The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is to celebrate." Oprah Winfrey
When youth complete the program, their achievements are celebrated big time! The specifics of this will be determined in part by the youth and family, but will include a $50 gift card and diploma.
Purpose-Driven Decisions
The Diversion coaching program can help kids become more self aware and emotionally intelligent, regardless of the disparities and inequalities of the circumstances that they may be experiencing.
The principles they will learn teach critical cognitive skills for life.
These skills include:
How to own your life by owning your choices.
How to see that your circumstances and your thoughts about those circumstances are not the same thing.
How to recognize emotions you are experiencing.
How to identify the purpose of emotions.
How to choose your emotions by choosing your thoughts.
How to assess your own well-being and make improvements.
How to connect the dots to between your future dreams and your thoughts and actions today.
Once these skills are learned, we see the world differently.
We see opportunities we couldn't see before.
And we understand and believe that any change really is possible.
