The Impact of Prosecutorial Diversion Programs on Behavioral Health Service Use and Criminal Justice System Involvement

This study evaluates the impact of the three DSHS-contracted prosecutorial diversion programs on competency order, criminal justice, and behavioral health measures for Medicaid-enrolled participants relative to statistically matched comparators. Overall, we found that the diversion programs reduce re-arrest rates, days of incarceration, and state psychiatric hospital stays, and increase receipt of community-based mental health treatment for study participants. There was no measurable impact on competency orders. The report presents program participant characteristics and findings from the outcome evaluation for all Medicaid-enrolled program participants and a subset of those participants with a history of competency services.