Policy Research has conducted over 300 Sequential Intercept Model Mapping Workshops across the United States and its territories, driving systemic improvements in community-based behavioral health and criminal legal system interventions nationwide.
Fulton County, Georgia: In 2016, a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance supported the formation of the Fulton County Justice and Mental Health Task Force, which developed a data-driven action plan focused on pre-arrest deflection, diversion, and other topics.
A pivotal component of this initiative was the 2017 Sequential Intercept Model (SIM) Mapping Workshop facilitated by Policy Research. This workshop enabled participants to visualize how individuals with behavioral health conditions interact with the criminal legal system, identifying gaps and opportunities for intervention.
One key recommendation from this mapping workshop was the establishment of the Center for Diversion and Services, which opened in January 2025. The center offers law enforcement and first responders an alternative to incarceration by providing immediate assistance to individuals experiencing mental health conditions, substance use disorders, or extreme poverty. Services include physical and mental health screenings, basic first aid, connections to housing and healthcare, and ongoing case management.
By addressing the needs identified during the SIM Mapping Workshop, the center embodies the community-based treatment and diversion objectives central to the SIM, aiming to reduce jail bookings and enhance public health outcomes. While the Center for Diversion and Services represents a new chapter for Fulton County, other communities have seen long-term impacts from earlier SIM-based initiatives.
Bring a Sequential Intercept Model Mapping Workshop to Your Community!
Sequential Intercept Model Mapping Workshops are a 1.5-day mapping workshop offered by the Systems Mapping and Training Center at Policy Research. With the Sequential Intercept Model Mapping Workshop, communities can:
- improve the early identification of adults with behavioral health needs in the criminal legal system;
- increase effective connections to complete, appropriate, and integrated services in the community;
- reduce the chances that people will cycle in and out of the criminal legal system;
- promote and support recovery;
- enhance public safety; and
- improve quality of life for all.
Dutchess County, New York: Through a 2011 SIM Mapping Workshop conducted by Policy Research in Dutchess County, New York, participants identified a critical need for a crisis stabilization center. A local planning group pushed the effort forward, resulting in the 2017 launch of the Dutchess County Crisis Stabilization and Wellness Center.
A partnership between the Dutchess County Department of Mental Health and People USA, the center is a 24/7, non-medical, voluntary walk-in facility aimed at diverting individuals in crisis from arrest or hospitalization by providing immediate assistance and connecting them to community-based treatment services. The center offers crisis counseling, peer support, and care coordination services, reducing unnecessary incarcerations and promoting recovery-oriented alternatives. In 2023 alone, the Dutchess County Crisis Stabilization and Wellness Center served over 3,000 people, providing individuals in need with timely, community-based assistance and significantly reducing burdens on local emergency services and the criminal legal system.
In the fall of 2024, the center became one of the first facilities licensed as a Supportive Crisis Stabilization Center by both the New York State Office of Mental Health and the Office of Addiction Services and Supports. The center’s work is part of an integrated approach—including Dutchess County’s Crisis Intervention Team training for law enforcement and first responders, the Alternative to Incarceration Program, and a dedicated helpline—that exemplifies the core objective supported by the SIM: to connect people with appropriate care, disrupt cycles of system involvement, and improve outcomes for individuals and communities.
Policy Research Associates leads the nation in driving sustainable, impactful change for people with behavioral health conditions. Ready to transform your community? Contact us to get started.