Diversion Hub connects justice-involved individuals to social services and programs to minimize their contact with the criminal legal system — reducing the pressure on Oklahoma’s jail and prisons. Clients receive various life stabilizing resources and assistance navigating the criminal legal system while escaping the cycles of incarceration.

In 2019, voters voiced their support for Oklahoma City’s MAPS4 sales tax, leading to the establishment of the first diversion-focused MAPS supported program. MAPS4 has allocated $18.9 million to fund the construction of Diversion Hub’s purpose-built facility.

The Arnall Family Foundation (AFF) was an early funder of the organization which currently operates out of a much smaller, temporary location in the heart of Oklahoma City. AFF has granted them over $12 million to support operations and funded endowments totaling $38 million at the Oklahoma City Community Foundation. This is in addition to support from other grants and funders for the Diversion Hub.

Diversion Hub Board Chair and AFF President Sue Ann Arnall with Diversion Hub Executive Director Meagan Taylor at the Warrant Clearing Event at Diversion Hub on June 8, 2024.

Today, the Diversion Hub offers case management and helps people navigate sometimes complex systems for housing, employment, mental health, substance use, public benefits, and the criminal legal system. Their justice navigators and case managers work closely with each other and clients to minimize their contact with the criminal legal system. 

The new facility, slated to be completed by 2026, will provide more room to accommodate increasing staff size and additional on-site partners. Current partners, including, Homeless Alliance, Oklahoma Human Services, Oklahoma County Treatment Courts, and Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma are able to quickly connect clients to resources or enroll them in services because they are staffed at the facility. 

Data from the Diversion Hub indicates that clients seek support in various areas.

In 2023, 43% of clients faced housing insecurity, 89% were unemployed, 80% faced transportation barriers, 34% disclosed mental health issues, and 24% disclosed substance use.

Services provided to clients in 2023 include*: 

• 1,068 housing assistance services
  Housing assistance includes: making referrals to an on-site housing navigator, rent and utility programs, and transitional housing options; helping with applications for housing vouchers, setting up rent and utility payments, and any other housing needs; providing housing-related resource materials; and home visits.
  

   

• 985 employment assistance services
  Employment assistance includes: making referrals to an on-site employment navigator, employment classes, and community employment agencies; assisting with resumes, job applications and any other employment-related needs; provisioning job leads; and providing other job-related materials.

   

• 11,179 transportation services
  Transportation services include providing bus passes and access to the Diversion Hub shuttle, connecting with rideshare, and any other transportation-related assistance.
  
  
• 267 mental health services
  Mental health services include making referrals to mental health services and any other mental health supportive service.
  

   

• 154 substance use services
  Substance use services include making referrals to outpatient or inpatient treatment, referrals to substance use support groups, and providing Narcan and Fentanyl test strips.
  
  
• 1,872 basic needs services
  Basic needs services include providing clothing, hygiene items, food, phones, and any other assistance or referrals to meet basic needs.

*The number of services does not represent unique individuals.

While there’s a lot of work to do, they have had some notable success since opening their doors in 2020. An analysis conducted by Open Justice Oklahoma (OJO) through the Oklahoma Policy Institute evaluated a roster of Diversion Hub clients to estimate their rate of recidivism. Out of 3,053 Diversion Hub clients, who had service end dates ranging from Jan. 7, 2021 to Oct. 10, 2023, 338 (11.07%) had a new criminal case filing within 1 year after end date, 471 (15.43%) within 2 years, and 512 (16.77%) had a new criminal case filed any time after their last date of services. 

As a general point of comparison, OJO also analyzed court filings for 79,124 defendants in Oklahoma County from 2014-2024. They found that 13.77% had a new criminal case filing within 1 year after their first case filing, 19.04% within 2 years after their first filing, and 27.97% had a new criminal case filed any time after their first case filed. 

Through each step of the process in building and expanding operations they gain an opportunity to make an even greater impact. In 2023 alone, Diversion Hub served a total of 3,624 individuals and at 3,347 clients as of July of this year they’ve already served nearly that many in just the first half of 2024. 

Sue Ann Arnall speaking at a Oklahoma City Council meeting in support of Diversion Hub for MAPS4 consideration.

The Diversion Hub is just one part of the support system necessary to transform how our community addresses crime and helps those who are trapped in cycles of incarceration. Through community support, leadership, and determination, they are already setting an example.

As Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt recently said on social media, “This project will be a national model, providing wraparound services to people engaged with the criminal justice system, with intention of “diverting” them away from jail or prison & toward a public life.”