Policing Alternative and Diversion Initiative (PAD)

PAD fosters a new approach to community safety and wellness by engaging in creative problem-solving to respond to community concerns, and addressing people’s human needs with dignity, patience and care. PAD provides an alternative to criminal justice involvement through two core strategies- Community Response Services: We partner with the City of Atlanta’s 311 non-emergency services line to accept community referrals for issues of concern related to mental health, substance use or extreme poverty. LEAD Diversion Services: We accept pre-arrest diversion referrals from law enforcement, to provide an immediate alternative to arrest for individuals experiencing substance addiction, mental health concerns, or extreme poverty. We don’t stop at immediate assistance. We also provide housing support and case management through our Care Navigation team, building relationships to support people in achieving their goals for a more stable and healthy life. Our services are grounded in the principles of harm reduction and housing first.

PAD responds to non-emergency quality of life concerns related to mental health, substance use or extreme poverty. This includes: Disturbances (such as someone yelling outside a business or blocking traffic) Public indecency (such as someone naked or bathing in a public place) Welfare (such as someone asking for food or help) Mental health (such as someone who appears disoriented, erratic, or is talking to themselves) Substance use (such as someone using drugs in public) Basic needs (such as someone in need of shelter and sleeping outside) Public health (such as someone getting food from a dumpster or using the bathroom in a public place) Community Response Services are not for medical or mental health emergencies. When necessary, our teams of trained social service professionals work closely with Georgia Crisis & Access Line (GCAL), Grady, and other mobile crisis resources. For mental health emergencies, individuals seeking assistance for themselves or a loved one may contact GCAL at 1-800-715-4225 to speak to a clinician, who can assess the situation and may dispatch a mobile crisis response. For medical emergencies please contact 911.