COSSUP Deflection Resources

Critical Elements of First Responder Deflection

A successful deflection initiative must execute several critical elements: establish activities that respond to community needs, align stakeholders/partners, facilitate needed treatment/services, provide community outreach, and engender program buy-in and stability. This article addresses these core elements, highlighting best practices of established deflection programs.

Six Pathways Factsheet

There are six frameworks, or pathways, of deflection and pre-arrest diversion, each of which uses a different approach to address specific public health and safety challenges faced by communities. This factsheet provides an overview of these six pathways of deflection and pre-arrest diversion and describes how programs in each pathway typically work. 

Case Studies: the Six Pathways of Deflection

The case studies on the six pathways of deflection provide a description and ten critical elements of each deflection pathway, and includes case studies of five programs implementing these pathways.

• Pathways to First Responder Diversion Case Studies Series: Self-Referral
• Pathways to First Responder Deflection Case Studies Series: Active Outreach 
• Pathways to First Responder Diversion Case Studies Series: Naloxone Plus
• Pathways to First Responder Diversion Case Studies Series: Officer Intervention
  
• Pathways to First Responder Deflection Case Studies Series: First Responder and Officer Referral
• Coming soon! Pathways to First Responder Deflection Case Studies Series: Community Response

Free deflection training: The Deflection Conversation Framework

The Deflection Conversation Framework: A Community Engagement Tool for First Responders is a free online training. This course is designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of effective communication strategies for deflection. Modules include information about the science of addiction and recovery, motivational interviewing, and approaches for building strong community partnerships and practical, evidence-based strategies for engaging individuals with SUDs.

First Responder Deflection Resource Library

This is a repository of foundational documents that were submitted by deflection programs from across the United States. These documents comprise some core elements of deflection programs, such as release of information forms, policies and procedures, program brochures, intake forms, and memoranda of understanding. The library also houses a growing collection of process and outcome evaluations of existing deflection programs. 

National Deflection Survey

The Report of the National Survey to Assess First Responder Deflection Programs in Response to the Opioid Crisis is the first of its kind survey of deflection initiatives in the United States. The report first provides an introduction to and history of the field; presents key findings and takeaways that highlight major conclusions of the data gathered and analyzed; and concludes with how the critical findings of this report may apply to a range of policies and important issues in the justice system and related areas, including public health, public safety, and other sectors.