Eighteen Connecticut schools in six districts are participating in the Connecticut School-Based Diversion Initiative (SBDI) during the 2016-17 school year bringing the total number of schools served by SBDI to 37. SBDI is a school level intervention designed to prevent youth from entering the juvenile justice system by connecting students to community-based mental health services as an alternative to arrest. Among schools participating since 2010, the average reduction in court referrals during their first year was 45% and increase in EMPS (Mobile Crisis Intervention Services) referrals was 94%. 

The SBDI model was co-developed in 2008 by CSSD, DCF and CHDI with funding from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation through the Models for Change Mental Health/Juvenile Justice Action Network.

The SBDI Toolkit: A Community Resource for Reducing School-Based Arrests (see attached)