ABOUT THE PROGRAM

The Pre-Arrest Diversion Initiative is a two-year pilot program with funding from Atlanta, Fulton County, the Open Society Foundation, Central Atlanta Progress and others. It will accept its first referrals Aug. 8.

At first, the pilot will only cover areas of Midtown, Downtown and the Old Fourth Ward. People who commit nonviolent crimes that are tied to homelessness, addiction or mental health issues will be given the option to participate in the diversion program, instead of going to jail.

A care navigation team will help connect participants to shelter, rehabilitation, medical care or other services that could keep them from committing those crimes in the future.

When it begins, the pilot program will only be active certain hours: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 3 to 9 p.m. and Friday from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. The days and hours may change as officers begin referring people to the program and workers see when calls are the heaviest. The hours were set to include times when some crimes were thought to be the highest.

Residents should still call the police if they see a problem — the officers will determine whether someone from the diversion program should get involved. If they are called, a case worker will come to the scene and evaluate the person, then bring them back to the program’s office if they consent to being involved with it.

Workers there will provide therapy, shelter, rehab and other services over the course of the pilot to help stabilize people and get them the help they need.