County approves Crossroads Turning Points contract for LEAD case management

PUEBLO — Pueblo County commissioners approved a professional services agreement with Crossroads Turning Points to provide case management services for the county’s Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) program.

Christine Dipeckel, the program manager, told commissioners the Crossroads contract “is not to exceed $365,177,” and said the county’s total contract pool for the program this year was reduced to $500,000; the transcript included an unclear prior-amount figure and did not specify the earlier total.

Dipeckel described LEAD as a voluntary, low-barrier diversion program for low-level substance users aimed at connecting participants to social and behavioral-health services rather than arrest. “We’re voluntary. We don’t require that people abstain from substance use. So we’re very low barrier, and we take a harm reduction approach,” she said.

The program accepts law-enforcement referrals for nonvictim, low-level offenses, social referrals from officers who decline arrest but identify substance or mental-health drivers, and community referrals. Dipeckel said supports include rent assistance, food, clothing and transportation, and staff work with other local providers to avoid paying high-cost items directly.

Action taken: The board moved, seconded and approved item 4a by voice vote; the transcript records “All in favor, say aye” and “Motion passes.”

What was not specified: The contract’s full-term dates, funding source breakdown and the unclear prior contract amount were not clarified in the transcript.