Introducing the Diversion in Action Spotlight Series!
Posted in Announcements News | Tagged Diversion-in-Action
This summer, we hope you join us for our “Diversion in Action” spotlight series! We’ll be showcasing how CYJ Fellows across the country are building effective, locally tailored diversion programs through their Capstone Projects. These stories highlight the power of cross-system collaboration, community leadership, and data-informed strategies. If you’re looking to strengthen or expand diversion efforts in your jurisdiction, don’t miss this opportunity to learn what’s working–check out our Diversion in Youth Justice Certificate Program, now accepting applications through August 8th!
Flathead County, Montana
The Flathead County Team’s Capstone Project focused on addressing incidents of harm on school campuses, limiting the overuse of exclusionary discipline, and emphasizing a community-driven approach that promotes positive youth development and community safety. The team partnered with the Center for Restorative Youth Justice (CRYJ) to offer youth an alternative to citations and suspensions for school-based offenses. Their original Capstone began as a pilot project at one Kalispell high school for first-time drug and alcohol offenses, but has since expanded to include all first-time misdemeanor/status offenses at all three Kalispell high schools, another local high school, and four local middle schools.
In addition, school administrators can directly refer youth with non-delinquent offenses to CRYJ, and a coordinated reintegration meeting occurs between youth and their referring party upon CRYJ completion. Other jurisdictions in Montana have reached out to the team in hopes to mirror their program as well as for guidance on forming school-justice partnerships more generally. In 2025, CRYJ plans to offer services in Missoula, MT as a pilot for scaled program replication.
In 2023, referrals to the SJP program made up 43% of all youth court referrals, and youth in the SJP program had a recidivism rate of 10% as compared to a recidivism rate of 23% for all Flathead County youth. The number of Kalispell youth receiving out-of-school suspensions has decreased from 208 youth in 2017 to 82 youth in 2023. The Montana Board of Crime Control has recognized the Flathead County Team’s work at the state level, noting that “this program is the only one of its kind in Montana, creating immediate and long-lasting benefits to all those directly served and the greater community.”
Diversion in Youth Justice Certificate Program
The Diversion in Youth Justice Certificate Program is an intensive, in-person training designed to support multidisciplinary teams in developing equitable, developmentally appropriate alternatives to court involvement for young people. The program supports cross-sector collaboration, engaging key stakeholders in diversion initiatives such as court personnel, behavioral health providers, law enforcement, educators, and community-based organizations. It also includes 12 months of individualized technical assistance following the training.
The program will run September 30th through October 3rd on Capitol Hill in Georgetown University’s Capitol Campus, and applications are open through August 8th. You can learn more about the program by downloading the Request for Applications packet or exploring the program’s landing page!