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Harney County deflection program expands outreach; DA reports early successes
Summary
District Attorney Ryan Hughes described a state-funded deflection program that pairs a county-based coordinator with treatment providers; he reported 11 enrollments, four active participants and two program graduates and said local rural scale makes Harney County’s model responsive.
District Attorney Ryan Hughes briefed the County Court on Oct. 1 about Harney County’s state-funded deflection program, which places a law-enforcement coordinator in the DA’s office to link people with treatment and services as an alternative to prosecution.
Hughes said the program was created after state-level changes to drug law and subsequent legislative funding for “deflection” programs. The DA’s office applied for a grant and initially received $150,000; the county has since received a second-year award of $150,000. Hughes said the program funds coordinator wages and program administration; treatment and clinical services are paid through a mix of OHP (Oregon Health Plan) billing and program funds when needed.
Hughes said the county’s deflection coordinator, Officer Mike Mitchell, is based in the DA’s office one day a week and coordinates with Symmetry Care (treatment provider) and other local service providers. “He has meetings every week with Symmetry Care,” Hughes said. The coordinator also attends the county’s multidisciplinary team meetings and performs outreach with patrol officers and community partners.
Hughes reported that 11 people have enrolled in the program: four are currently active, two have graduated, four dropped out of outreach pathways, and one has charges pending. He described at least one case where an individual who had generated multiple weekly police contacts engaged with the program and had no police contacts during a recent multi-month period.
Hughes said Harney County’s small, rural structure has advantages: the coordinator can meet providers quickly and arrange immediate referrals. He said a central challenge remains stable housing and clean living spaces for participants and that program success will depend on ongoing coordination with service providers. He added that quarterly reporting to the state is required and that program officials from other counties have contacted Harney County to learn about the model.
Ending: The court asked the DA to provide program reports and budget details through the county’s budgeting process; Hughes said he will provide the required quarterly state reports and can supply county-level summaries for the court.
