LEAD Criminal Justice Diversion Program

The City of Pittsburgh proposes to expand the LEAD Criminal Justice Diversion Program, also known as Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD), which is situated within the Office of Community Health and Safety. The purpose is to lower rates of recidivism, increase quality of life outcomes of participants through service provider referrals, and provide long term support to vulnerable residents in Pittsburgh, PA. These goals will be met through hiring and staffing five total LEAD case managers in year one and six total case managers in year two. Project activities will include development and implementation of a multi-disciplinary Community Leadership Team in each of the Pittsburgh Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion’s service areas, Pittsburgh’s police zones 1, 2, and 5. This will allow for community-based engagement intensive case management services expansion and gives community members in these areas a voice.   Expected outcomes include: the development of a multi-disciplinary Community Leadership Team’s to address and provide input, ideas, needs and priorities of the community in which Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion is operating; bringing community engagement within the evidence-based services; reduction in community calls to 911 regarding Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion participants; reduction of reentry to Allegheny County Jail for “Failure to Appear Warrants” at the point of contact with police; and regular program assessments that include the community are the intended beneficiaries of the project. Recipient activities that directly support program participants include case management support such as transportation vouchers and costs which help increase attendance to court, avoiding “Failure to Appear Warrants”, and necessary supervision and medical appointments. The LEAD program will also distribute basic living essentials when transportation to other resource hubs is not accessible for program participants.