Burgis recommends $5.9 Million grant for Antioch arrest-diversion program

By John Crowder

Contra Costa County District 3 Supervisor Diane Burgis announced, Wednesday that a $5.9 million grant for an innovative arrest-diversion program to be implemented in Antioch has been recommended for approval by the California Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC).  Burgis was notified earlier this week of the recommendation, which came following review of a grant request approved for submission by the Board of Supervisors last February.  If approved by the BSCC Executive Steering Committee at their meeting scheduled for June 8, preparatory steps for program implementation would begin this summer, with services beginning by the end of this year.

CoCo Lead Plus, a partnership between the Antioch Police Department (APD), Contra Costa County Health Services Department, Contra Costa Housing Authority, Contra Costa Health, Housing, & Homeless Services Division, and community-based organizations will be responsible for implementation of the program.  Using the grant, APD will create and implement new arrest-diversion protocols, resulting in coordinated services being made available for people with mental health issues who have been repeatedly arrested for a broad array of low-level, non-violent charges.  In addition to providing help for individuals suffering from mental health issues that result in frequent interaction with the criminal justice system, the program is expected to free up APD resources to focus on more serious crimes.

“People with complex behavioral challenges repeatedly cycle from the streets to the jails and back to the streets,” Burgis stated. “To interrupt this cycle and strengthen the community for all of us, CoCo Lead Plus will combine coordinated diversion protocols with peer-driven outreach and engagement, evidence-based behavioral health services, wraparound social and vocational supports, and opportunities for both transitional and permanent housing for program participants.  Innovative programs such as this provide help for those with mental issues while allowing our police departments to focus resources on the reduction of more serious crime.  This is a win for our entire community.”


2 Comments to “Burgis recommends $5.9 Million grant for Antioch arrest-diversion program”

  1. Frederick Rouse says:

    Decrease incarceration due to substance abuse as well? This is a good program from what I have read. Does this also create an intake site and transportation? The way I understand it, the program takes a lot of administration and is hard to evaluate candidates. But I am in 100% in support of any help we can get.

  2. Frank Rehm says:

    Yet another well-funded slap on the hand

Leave a Reply