Community Diversion with OSH
Supporting youth through accountability, growth, and opportunity
When a young person is referred to diversion, it can feel overwhelming for both youth and families. At Our Sisters’ House, our Youth Diversion Program focuses on understanding, growth, and positive outcomes — not punishment. Diversion is an opportunity to address what happened in a constructive way and support youth in building a stronger future.
What Is Diversion?
Diversion is a program designed to connect young people with meaningful interventions rather than placing them into the formal court system. It is offered to youth between the ages of 8 and 18 who typically do not have a prior criminal history.
Cases referred to diversion have already been reviewed by a prosecuting attorney, who determined there was probable cause to charge. This is an important distinction — probable cause does not mean a case will go to trial. Diversion provides an opportunity to address what happened without going through the formal court process.
No court trial
No jail time
Focus on accountability and growth
- Supportive, youth-centered approach
For Families: What to Expect
Families are not always notified at the time of arrest, so receiving a notice of diversion may be the first time you hear about the incident. This can bring up many emotions — confusion, worry, frustration — and that is completely understandable.
Our goal is to work together with youth and families to turn this moment into something positive. We focus on understanding what contributed to the situation and identifying supports that help youth move forward in a healthy and productive way.
I Received a Notice to Appear. Now What?
1. Review Your Notice
Your notice to appear will include the date and time of your scheduled diversion meeting.
If the date works, no action is needed — we’ll see you then.
If the date or time does not work, please call us as soon as possible so we can reschedule.
We also welcome questions before the meeting if you need clarification or support.
2. Attend the Diversion Meeting
Diversion meetings typically last 1–2 hours. During this time, we will:
Review diversion advice and explain legal rights
Discuss criminal history and relevant Washington State laws
Review the police report when appropriate
Create space for youth and families to share their perspectives
Talk about contributing factors and next steps
This is a collaborative conversation — not an interrogation.
Is Diversion Right for Me?
The heart of diversion is collaboration. Together, we work toward a fair and meaningful resolution that supports accountability while encouraging growth.
By signing the contract, the youth acknowledges responsibility for what happened. This does not result in jail time. Instead, it creates an opportunity to repair harm, learn from the experience, and move forward.
In Washington State, youth over the age of 12 may participate in diversion without parental permission. While we encourage family involvement, our focus remains on supporting the youth directly and helping them succeed.
Youth who choose diversion enter into a diversion contract, which may include:
Community service
Reflection or accountability writing
Participation in positive youth development programs
Our Approach at Our Sisters’ House
At Our Sisters’ House, we take a holistic approach to diversion. Rather than focusing solely on punishment, we work to understand the reasons behind the behavior and connect youth with resources that help prevent future incidents.
Diversion is not just about addressing a single moment — it’s about building skills, confidence, and support systems that help youth make different choices in the future.
We are here to support youth through this process and help them see diversion as an opportunity to grow, learn, and build a better future.