Keeping youth in school
The School-Based Diversion Initiative (SBDI) works with schools and districts to reduce suspensions, expulsions, and arrests among students with behavioral health needs.
A trauma-informed school responder model
A restorative approach for addressing students' behavior and behavioral health
Youth with trauma and mental health needs are more likely to enter the juvenile justice system
- Exclusionary discipline practices like suspension, expulsion, and arrest disproportionately impact students with behavioral health needs and increase the risk of academic failure.
- Many children who are arrested in schools have unmet behavioral health needs.
- Approximately 65% to 70% of youth in juvenile detention have a diagnosable behavioral health condition.
The mission of the School-Based Diversion Initiative (SBDI) is to the reduce rate 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 appropriate in-school discipline regardless of mental health, special education needs, or demographic characteristics.
SBDI works with schools to:
New SBDI adaptation for Elementary schools
The School-Based Diversion Initiative was initially developed for middle and high schools. Because exclusionary discipline can also affect younger students, CHDI adapted the model for use in elementary schools in its new SBDI—Early Intervention (SBDI-E) model. SBDI-E is currently being piloted in several Connecticut elementary schools.
Bridge to better results
Since 2009, the School-Based Diversion Initiative has helped keep more youth in school, improve outcomes, and ensure that all students receive fair and equitable in-school discipline regardless of their mental health, special education needs, race or ethnicity.
- 76 Schools in Connecticut have implemented SBDI
- 26 School districts have participated in SBDI
- 25% Average reduction in court referrals in SBDI schools
- 24% More students connected to behavioral health services in SBDI schools
History and funding
School-Based Diversion Initiative
SBDI was co-developed in 2008 by CHDI, the Court Support Services Division (CSSD) of the Judicial Branch and the Connecticut Department of Children and Families (DCF) with funding from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. SBDI implementation is now jointly funded and overseen by CSSD, the State Department of Education (SDE), and the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS). CHDI is the state Coordinating Center for SBDI.
School-Based Diversion Initiative - Early Intervention (SBDI-E)
Funding to develop and pilot the SBDI-E model was awarded to CHDI from the Tow Youth Justice Institute at the University of New Haven in March 2024 through an Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (ODJJP) grant. The three-year federal grant supports the Institute's "Improving the lives of youth in Connecticut" work in collaboration with three sub-awardees (CHDI, Center for Children's Advocacy, and ROCA, Inc.).