New Addiction Pilot Program Launches In Arapahoe County

ARAPAHOE COUNTY, CO — The Arapahoe County district attorney's office is launching a new diversion program that aims to keep some people who are charged with drug possession out of the criminal justice system.

The Recovery Diversion Program will help people with limited or no criminal history — who are charged with a small amount of drug possession — receive substance abuse counseling, the DA said.

Overdose deaths in the United States soared by an unprecedented 30 percent during the pandemic, new numbers from the National Center for Health Statistics confirm. In Colorado, overdose deaths jumped to 1,512 in 2020, up from 1,100 in 2019. The change marked a 37.5 percent increase, according to NCHS data.

District Attorney John Kellner said the program could help save lives.

“There is no question that too many people in our community struggle with addiction issues," Kellner said in a statement. "Rather than see them in and out of courtrooms, it makes more sense and is more compassionate to find a way to get them help in addressing the underlying problem. This pilot program is a first step in testing a way to do more of that.”

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The defendants who opt into the program will be responsible for contacting the AllHealth Network to schedule a screening for substance abuse treatment, the DA's office said.

Charges will be dismissed for defendants who follow the recommended treatment, but they are responsible for the cost of the program, which should be covered by most health insurance plans, the office said.

“We know that successful treatment works in addressing addiction issues in juveniles,” said Sarah Ericson, the new program's director. “I am excited to be able to expand our efforts to eligible adults. If we can work with them to get help, they can avoid a criminal record and perhaps start down a new road that doesn’t include arrests and prosecutions.”

The program began with 20 participants and capacity will be added every few weeks, the DA's office said.

A 3-year sample of cases in the 18th Judicial District identified between 800 and 1,000 cases that might have been eligible for the Recovery Diversion Program, according to the office.

The new pilot program doesn't replace the district's current adult diversion program or recovery court.

>> More information about the program can be found here.