Multnomah County has reported early results from its new deflection program, which began September 1, 2024, under the provisions of House Bill 4002. The law reclassified possession of small amounts of illegal substances as a misdemeanor offense, offering individuals an alternative to the criminal justice system through treatment and recovery services. Between September 1 and November 15, 127 people were referred by law enforcement to the deflection program, with participants receiving 268 referrals to services through the County’s Coordinated Care Pathway Center.
“We have seen a lot of positive connections to services for those that we have served in the few months since the deflection program began,” said Multnomah County Behavioral Health Division Director Heather Mirasol. “Like many other deflection programs across the state, we are learning a lot. We continue to pivot and be flexible as we identify barriers for participants and as we work to streamline processes surrounding this innovative approach.”
The County highlighted an upward trend in participation and referrals during the reporting period. In the first month of the Pathway Center’s operation, which began October 14, 74 people were referred to the center. During the two-week period from November 1 to November 15, 34 individuals initiated deflection, compared to 12 during the previous two weeks. Portland Police Bureau referred 51 individuals, Oregon State Police referred four, and the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office referred one. In total, the Pathway Center provided 76 service referrals in the current reporting period.
Officials stressed that the numbers remain preliminary and subject to verification. The first quarterly update, due in February 2025, will include additional data, such as the number of successful or unsuccessful deflections and demographic information.
“We are still a ways out from seeing any trends or patterns in the numbers,” said Multnomah County Behavioral Health Division Deputy Director Jen Gulzow. “It may be tempting to draw definitive conclusions about the program’s early performance but that would be premature. Like other new programs, we need to give the program time to work and conduct a thorough analysis of the data.”
The County emphasized the importance of flexibility and collaboration as the program continues to evolve. Weekly referrals by law enforcement partners fluctuate based on their priorities and capacity levels. Community engagement and transparency remain key, with no reported increases in loitering or criminal activity linked to program participants during this period.
“It is going to take time to have a true sense of participant outcomes, but at this early stage we are confident in the services we are providing at the Pathway Center and encouraged by participants’ willingness to accept referrals to recovery,” said Tuerk House CEO Bernard Gyebi-Foster. “We have been at this for over 50 years and we know every trauma-informed engagement we offer at the Pathway Center matters.”
This innovative approach seeks to offer individuals a pathway to recovery while easing the burden on the criminal justice system. As Multnomah County continues to analyze data and improve program operations, officials remain optimistic about its long-term potential to make a meaningful difference.
“Every connection, every referral, every step toward recovery is a chance to change lives,” said Heather Mirasol.
