• Our Mission

    The mission of the Connecticut School-Based Diversion Initiative 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 fair and equitable in-school discipline regardless of mental health, special education needs or demographic characteristics such as race or ethnicity.

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  • Participating Schools

    To date, SBDI has been implemented in 60 schools across 22 Connecticut school districts

    Who's Participating?

  • Community Partners

    SBDI helps schools understand and access existing mental health services and supports in their community to effectively meet the needs of students and their families. Partnerships include (but are not limited to): community-based behavioral health service providers, local law enforcement, youth and family engagement advocates, youth service bureaus, juvenile review boards, and community collaboratives (e.g. systems of care, LISTs).

    Learn More About Our Partners

  • Resources

    View our list of resources, including the SBDI toolkit and videos as well as publications and other related information.

    FIND RESOURCES HERE

SBDI Delivers Results

Background

The Connecticut School-Based Diversion Initiative (SBDI) model 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. It was piloted in three schools in 2009 and was included as part of Governor Malloy’s Second Chance Society legislation in 2015. SBDI is state funded and overseen by the State Department of Education, DCF, CSSD, and the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services. The Child Health and Development Institute serves as the SBDI Coordinating Center.

CT DCF

CT Judicial Branch

Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services

CHDI