The jail diversion program is a collaboration of the Springfield-Greene County Health Department (SGCHD) and the Springfield Municipal Court to facilitate rehabilitation for low-offense incarcerated individuals.
Nine members were recognized as the first to complete the program in a graduation ceremony in June. The program connects participants to a variety of community health advocates and works with them to meet their specific rehabilitation goals.
A municipal court judge is able to review the details and status of an incarcerated individuals’ case through an ‘in custody docket.' Then if the judge feels that the incident could have been avoided with proper resources, they will refer the incarcerated individual to the jail diversion program. The individual will then be screened and connected to a community health advocate who will facilitate their recovery process. The program is only for low-level offenders. Some examples of low offenses include stealing food, urinating in public or trespassing.
Jody Austin is a public health program representative for SGCHD, and she's in charge of overseeing the work being done between the community health workers and the program participants. She explained that low-level offenses are often caused by outside factors, such as social barriers or simply a lack of resources. Austin added that the program’s focus is the ‘why’ of the charge. They ask the individuals questions about their access to things like medical providers, insurance and friends and family.
“And really it's kind of the first time someone has asked the client 'what happened?' and 'what’s going on in your life?' " she said.
Austin said this is the key to identifying how the program can help them get back on their feet.
SGCHD produced a video about the program that featured testimonials from some of the graduating participants. One of them was Ben, a man that worked a steady job for a long time before quitting to start his own business. Two weeks later he got in a bad accident requiring six months of recovery. That period used up all of his funds, and he soon found himself homeless. He was later brought in for an outstanding warrant on a minor traffic violation -– failure to pay a ticket. With no money, all Ben could do was explain that he wanted to pay it but didn’t have the resources.
“Most of my days were consumed with where I was going to lay my head that night and what I was going eat,” Ben said in the video. “So the judge referred me to the jail diversion program.”
After completing the program, Ben reflected on where he started — with absolutely nothing to his name — and where he ended — with everything he needed to get back on his feet and be productive. He said that he looked forward to holding down a good job again and getting back in touch with friends and family.
This program relies on community support. Several local organizations are partners with this initiative. Organizations like MSU Care Clinic, Crosslines Resource Center, Department of Veteran Affairs and Legal Services of Southern Missouri help to provide resources for all the different components of someone’s life. Austin said factors they often see contributing to these minor offenses are housing issues, substance abuse and mental health issues. The first step is setting folks up with basic needs like sober living, food, clothing and establishing medical care.
“We have some that haven’t seen a doctor for eight years, you know. And then of course they have chronic illnesses," said Austin. "They may be a diabetic, they may have heart problems, and that really is going to resonate with them and their quality of life.”
She said they even work with participants to provide needs, like a phone to keep in contact, or establishing a form of identification, like a social security card or a birth certificate.
“A birth certificate is $15, and if you don’t have $15, and you're worried about eating, that $15 is going to be huge,” she said. “We don't want them to choose from food to identification.”
After establishing the necessary treatment the participant needs, Austin said the final step is to help them prepare to find a job. They assist with every step of the process, from creating a resume to identifying job skills and preparing for an interview.
The jail diversion program was created in 2024 by Judge Wendy Garrison. Garrison and SGCHD presented the idea of the program to the Springfield City Council, highlighting that social barriers and underlying issues often relate to low-level offenses and can be resolved with community resources.
“Incarceration does not solve homelessness, job and food insecurity, substance use disorder or other factors,” Garrison said in a SGCHD press release. “This program gives participants the tools and support to address these underlying issues with a sense of agency and purpose.”
