Diversion Program

A memorandum of understanding between the City of Midwest City and the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (ODMHSAS)  created the state’s first municipal jail diversion program. The purpose of the program is to provide support for eligible municipal offenders in our community who are in need of behavioral health treatment services. Even though there are similar programs at the county level, Midwest City is the first municipality in Oklahoma to have this program.

The Police Department has taken a pro-active position in the area of crisis intervention within the community. Every day our officers are called upon in some capacity to exercise their training in crisis intervention. It has become a part of the job. The Diversion Project allows us to possibly make a bigger difference in the lives of our citizens who qualify and want to receive help for the issues that keep getting them into trouble. There are many repeat offenders in the city jail due to their untreated behavioral health issues. A case manager with Red Rock Behavioral Health Services (RRBHS) is the program’s coordinator. The position is funded by a partnership with the MWCPD and the ODMHSAS.

Officials from Red Rock state that success of the program will be measured by the rate of recidivism, rate of drug/alcohol use, and the consistency of involvement with mental health treatment. One of their goals is to empower individuals with confidence and knowledge to care for themselves, while being law-abiding citizens. We think that these are very positive, yet bold steps in reaching out to our inmates, who either qualify for or volunteer for the spiritual and mental health counseling we now offer. As a city and as a police department, we think it is our duty to help those repeat offenders become productive citizens. It helps them, their families and certainly helps our community.
 

Note

MWCPD accepts private donations to help defray the costs of these programs.  If you would like to make a donation, please contact Chief Sid Porter at 405-739-1304.