NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Reno County has added a new First-Time Felony Drug Offender Diversion Program to expand diversion opportunities to previously ineligible individuals.
"This is a huge step in the right direction, right here," said Reno County Substance Misuse Health Educator Seth Dewey. "Any time that we can divert an individual to other resources within the community and potentially reduce the fact that they might have another criminal mark against them on their record, that improves the treatment outcomes, in the sense that, these individuals can then still get a job."
Prospective divertees have to go through a clinical interview with a mental health professional and have a recommendation concerning treatment, to be conducted by an approved provider.
"We're very appreciative of the District Attorney's Office and some of those measures that they are looking at to make those improvements," Dewey said. "If we can take that one potential barrier away and increase an individual's chance to get a good job, it can be one of those things that can keep them from going back to some of those things that they have previously known."
If the program is successful initially, it could be expanded in future years.
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