CHDI Hosts Forum at State Capitol on School-Based Arrests

A statewide forum on school-based arrests at the State Capitol highlighted Connecticut's School-Based Diversion Initiative as a successful intervention for schools. A new SBDI video and website were unveiled.

WNPR, the Hartford Courant, the New Britain Herald, CT-N and others covered the forum. The Associated Press wrote a story on SBDI following the forum.

• Click here to read WNPR's online article: "Behavior Program Leads to Fewer Connecticut Kids in Court."
• Click here to read the Hartford Courant's article: "Program Strives to Keep Kids Out of Jail, Link Them to Services Instead."
• Click here to read the New Britain Herald's article: "New Program Takes Aim at School Arrests."
• Click here to watch the forum on CT-N "on demand."
• Click here for more on the Associated Press article: "Connecticut Focuses on Reducing School Arrests," which appeared on news websites across the country.

SBDI equips schools to connect students with behavioral issues to community-based behavioral health services using Connecticut’s Emergency Mobile Psychiatric Services (EMPS) and promotes the use of restorative disciplinary practices as alternatives to arrest. Since 2010, SBDI schools on average reduced court-referrals by 45% in their first year of participation and increased behavioral health service referrals (EMPS) by 94%. SBDI has successfully helped 21 schools in 10 Connecticut school districts.

SBDI is jointly funded by four State agencies: the Judicial Branch’s Court Support Services Division, the State Department of Education, the Connecticut Department of Children and Families, and the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services. The Child Health and Development Institute serves as the Coordinating Center.

View photos from the forum on CHDI's Facebook page. 

Learn more about SBDI.