Celebrating a decade of progress, Diversion First has transformed our approach to behavioral health and justice with a wide‑ranging system of diversion services. Over the last decade, a continuum of county programs have been established or enhanced under Diversion First, all designed to reduce repeat justice system encounters, enhance public safety, support community well‑being and help people in crisis recover and rebuild their lives. Services ranging from crisis response, pre-arrest diversion and pre-trial services to specialty dockets, jail-based programs, reentry support and community-based care have resulted in thousands of diversions to treatment and support.
A Look Back on a Decade of Success
On May 26, county leaders, community members and front-line staff gathered to reflect on 10 years of Diversion First and energize the program’s next decade of impact.
Reflecting on the program’s success, Sheriff Stacey Kincaid underscored the shift Diversion First has created in the community. “We are now prioritizing mental health and substance use treatment and recovery over incarceration,” she said.
Aligned with the Diversion First philosophy, the Sheriff’s Office launched the Striving to Achieve Recovery (STAR) program in 2018, a highly structured addiction treatment and recovery program in the Adult Detention Center.
“An individual can leave jail and be successful, safe, and healthier than they were before they entered,” Sheriff Kincaid said.
Abbey May, deputy director at the Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board, added that a common mission, mutual understanding, and collaboration have been key.
“It’s been really transformational, what Diversion First has done for how we respond to individuals in crisis. The partnerships we have built have been phenomenal, along with the shift in the culture, mindset and approach to helping individuals,” May said.
Incorporating mental health treatment into law enforcement response required a significant cultural shift across public safety and human services. Police Chief Kevin Davis reflected on this cultural change over the last decade, noting “the results create better outcomes for community members and law enforcement. We now have a culture within the police department where our patrol officers are calling for co-responder teams when responding to a mental health crisis.”
Court system services have also played a pivotal role over the past decade in advancing Diversion First initiatives. Judge Dontaè Bugg shared that “for the courts, the Diversion First philosophy has implemented the most change in our specialty dockets. Recovery Court, Veterans Treatment Docket and the Mental Health Docket offer real-life examples of people are now receiving wraparound services through a treatment team approach. This addresses the person’s underlying needs. After going through the dockets, people can continue their treatment journey and begin giving back to their community.”
"The best part of my job is watching people change and transform their lives," Bugg said.
Looking Ahead for Diversion First
After 10 years of progress, Diversion First continues to build momentum, including embracing new technologies, expanding access to care, and strengthening crisis response systems to better support people in crisis and people interacting with the justice system. Cross-system collaboration strengthens a shared commitment to a system that treats every person with support, respect and a clear path to recovery.
For additional information, read the Diversion First 2025 Annual Report.
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