School Based Diversion Initiative
SBDI was developed as a component of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation Models for Change Mental Health/Juvenile Justice Action Network and is sustained through State funds. The Connecticut State Board of Education (“CSBE”), the Judicial Branch Court Support Services Division (“CSSD”), and the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (“DMHAS”) currently fund SBDI and participate on the oversight committee. The Department of Children and Families (“DCF”) also serves on the oversight committee. CHDI is the Coordinating Center for SBDI. This initiative is offered at NO COST to your school(s) and does come with funding to support implementation. The mission of the Connecticut School-Based Diversion Initiative (SBDI) is to reduce rates of in-school arrests, expulsions, and out-of-school suspensions. By doing this, SBDI helps keep kids in school, improves student outcomes, and ensures that students receive fair and equitable in-school discipline regardless of mental health, special education needs or demographic characteristics such as race or ethnicity. As a school-wide initiative, SBDI provides training (including restorative practices), consultation, and support for school professionals and increases the likelihood that students are appropriately linked to existing networks of services and supports in both the school and the surrounding community. SBDI promotes fair and equitable in-school discipline regardless of individual student characteristics such as mental health or special education needs, race, or ethnicity. Together, these efforts work towards building capacity for enhanced school mental health services and supports, improving school connectedness, and promoting positive student outcomes. CHDI has now developed a model for the elementary school level called SBDI-E, which is an adaptation of the School-Based Diversion Initiative (SBDI). SBDI-E Early Intervention addresses the social, emotional, and behavioral health needs of younger children to reduce the use of out-of-school suspensions and other exclusionary practices, Enhance the knowledge and skills among school staff relating to trauma-informed mental health and restorative practices, and increase the use of behavioral health services and supports.
