There is a new program taking shape in Mason County. It's the LEAD program, Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion, and it has the ability to help people get the help they may need in a way that doesn't overburden our jails. Jeff Slakey talked with county and city partners about the programs. Watch the videos for more information.
In response to the increasing need both nationally as well as locally, to balance accountability and public safety with rehabilitation and individual health and wellness, leadership and other representatives from Mason County including: The City of Shelton, The Mason County Sheriff’s office, The Shelton Police Department, The Mason County Prosecutors office, and Mason County’s Public Health Department, have partnered to implement a local Law enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) Program.
The overarching goal of the Mason County LEAD (MCLEAD) program is to improve community health and safety by reducing criminal justice system involvement for individuals with substance use and mental health concerns or extreme poverty, and instead connecting them with behavioral health and social services. This is achieved by using specific human resource tools that are coordinated effectively with law enforcement, while also prioritizing community input and safety.
MCLEAD is an arrest diversion program that provides law enforcement officers another option aside from arrest to offer a possible “second chance” to individuals committing law violations that are the result of a substance use disorder, mental health issue or extreme poverty. Individuals who encounter law enforcement within Mason County, that have met the eligibility criteria of the MCLEAD program, will, at the officer’s discretion, be provided an opportunity to opt into the program. Individuals will work closely with a peer case manager to develop a recovery plan that best meets their needs and that will provide them the confidence to make different choices that subsequently can divert them from the criminal justice system. If individuals are unable to adhere to the MCLEAD program criteria, the local prosecutor’s offices will make the appropriate decision on whether to charge that individual with the original law violation.
MCLEAD is an evidenced-based model that has proven to be effective in other parts of Washington State, throughout the United States, and is beginning to be implemented globally. The need to address core issues, when individuals are faced with behavioral health concerns and poverty, is paramount to long term recovery and ultimately healthier communities. Mason County’s LEAD program is setup to do just that and will undoubtedly provide hope and opportunity to many Mason County community members and their families.
List of MCLEAD partners
Mason County City of Shelton
Mason County Sherriff’s Office Shelton Police Department
Mason County Public Health Mason County Prosecutor’s Office
Mason County Public Defender’s Office Olympic Health and Recovery Services
Northwest Justice Project
