Clatsop County expands deflection program to broaden referral pathways and boost treatment engagement

Clatsop County officials on work-session night outlined changes to the South Sub-County Deflection Program aimed at widening who can enter treatment without criminal prosecution and improving follow-up supports.

The program, presented by Kristen Hanthorn, Lieutenant with Community Corrections for the Clatsop County Sheriff's Office, began in April with a single pathway that required a person to be found in possession of a controlled substance. "We initially started our program with just one pathway, which was, by legislation, you had to be in possession of a controlled substance and contacted by law enforcement," Hanthorn said. County staff told the board that pathway limited referrals because officers increasingly do not encounter visible evidence of drug use in public.

Why it matters: The expansion aims to let more people access treatment and support services without entering the criminal court process, reducing barriers that county officials say have limited engagement.

County presenters said they have added a second referral pathway to allow outreach and referrals from non-law-enforcement…