The purpose of the Oregon Behavioral Health Deflection (BHD) Program is to provide funding for counties and tribal governments to address the need for more deflection programs to assist individuals whose behavioral health conditions, including substance use disorder, lead to interactions with law enforcement, incarceration, conviction and other engagement with the criminal justice system.

Deflection programs are collaborative programs between law enforcement agencies and behavioral health entities aimed at assisting individuals who may have substance use disorder, another behavioral health disorder or co-occurring disorders, to create community pathways to treatment, recovery support services, housing, case management or other services. 

Formula grants – set grant awards based on a calculation – will be open to counties and Oregon’s federally recognized tribal governments to stand up deflection programs.