If you’re walking down East 55th Street in Cleveland, you might pass a building that looks fairly unassuming. It’s the Cuyahoga County Diversion Center. To most people, it's just another brick-and-mortar facility in a city full of them. But for anyone who has ever watched a loved one spiral during a mental health crisis—only to end up in the back of a squad car—this place represents a massive shift in how Northeast Ohio handles its most vulnerable neighbors.
It's about time.
For decades, the standard operating procedure for someone experiencing a psychotic break or a severe drug overdose in Cleveland was simple: jail or the ER. Neither is ideal. Jails aren’t hospitals, and ERs are often too crowded to provide the long-term stabilization someone actually needs. The Cuyahoga County Diversion Center was designed to be the "third option." It’s a 50-bed facility that focuses on treatment rather than punishment.
What the Cuyahoga County Diversion Center Actually Does
Honestly, there’s a lot of confusion about what happens inside those doors. People hear "diversion" and think it’s just a fancy word for a holding cell. It isn't. Operated by Oriana House—a nonprofit that’s been around since the 70s—the center is strictly a pre-arrest facility. This is the crucial bit. If a police officer encounters someone who is high, hallucinating, or otherwise acting out because of a mental health issue, they can bring them here instead of booking them at the Justice Center.
No handcuffs. No criminal record. Just help.
The staff there includes nurses, licensed counselors, and case managers. When someone arrives, they aren't just tossed into a bed and told to "sober up." They get an assessment. They get medical monitoring. They get a plan. Most people stay for about three to five days, which is just enough time to get through the worst of a withdrawal or to get stabilized on medication.
But it’s not just for the police. Did you know you can walk in? Or call for a family member? That’s the part that catches most people off guard. If you’re at your wit's end because a family member is refusing meds or using again, you can contact the Cuyahoga County Diversion Center directly. You don't have to wait for the cops to get involved.
The Problem With the Old Way
Let’s be real. Sending someone with schizophrenia to the county jail is like sending someone with a broken leg to a library. It’s the wrong environment for the problem.
In a jail cell, sensory overload, isolation, and the lack of specialized psychiatric care often make symptoms worse. This leads to what experts call the "revolving door." A person gets arrested for a minor "nuisance" crime, spends a few days in jail without their meds, gets released back onto the street in a worse state than before, and the cycle repeats.
👉 See also: Chandler Dental Excellence Chandler AZ: Why This Office Is Actually Different
It's expensive. It's inhumane. It’s also incredibly frustrating for the police officers who feel like they’ve become de facto social workers without the proper training.
The Diversion Center tries to break that loop. By diverting individuals into treatment, the county is betting that it can save money in the long run by reducing jail populations and emergency room visits. More importantly, it gives people a chance to keep their lives intact. A criminal record for a mental health episode can prevent someone from getting a job or housing for years. That’s a heavy price to pay for being sick.
Why Some People Are Still Skeptical
It hasn't been all sunshine and rainbows. When the center first opened in 2021, the numbers were low. Critics pointed out that the 50 beds were often mostly empty while the jail remained packed. Part of the issue was the "referral" system. Early on, only police officers from certain departments felt comfortable using the center.
There’s also the "criminality" factor. The center is meant for "non-violent" offenders. But define violent. If someone is flailing their arms during a manic episode and accidentally grazes a cop, is that an assault? For a long time, those grey areas meant people were still going to jail because the intake criteria were too strict.
Over the last few years, the Cuyahoga County Diversion Center has had to loosen those belts. They’ve worked with the ADAMHS Board (Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services) to ensure that more people qualify for the "front door" of the facility.
What Happens After the 72 Hours?
This is where things get tricky. You can’t cure a decade-long heroin addiction or a chronic bipolar disorder in three days. If the Diversion Center were just a 72-hour nap, it would be a failure.
The real work happens in the "hand-off."
Case managers at the center work to find people a "next step." That might be a long-term residential treatment program, a halfway house, or an outpatient clinic. They look at things like:
✨ Don't miss: Can You Take Xanax With Alcohol? Why This Mix Is More Dangerous Than You Think
- Does the person have Medicaid?
- Do they have a safe place to sleep tonight?
- Are they connected with a pharmacy?
It's not perfect. Cleveland, like many cities, has a massive shortage of long-term mental health beds. Sometimes, the Diversion Center staff does everything right, but there’s simply nowhere for the person to go after their stay is up. This is the "bottleneck" that keeps the system from working perfectly. Even so, being connected to some resources is better than being dumped on the sidewalk outside the jail with nothing but a bus pass.
Breaking Down the Stigma of "Self-Referral"
One of the coolest—and least used—features of the Cuyahoga County Diversion Center is the ability for the community to use it.
If you are a resident of Cuyahoga County and you feel yourself slipping, you can call their line. You don't need a referral from a doctor. You don't need a police escort. You can just say, "I'm not okay."
This is a massive deal for families who are terrified of calling 911 because they don't want their son or daughter to get shot or arrested. It provides a "safe" way to access the system. The center operates 24/7. It doesn’t matter if it’s 3:00 AM on a Tuesday or noon on Christmas Day.
The Financial Reality
Let's talk money for a second because that's usually why these programs live or die.
It costs roughly $100 to $150 a day to house someone in the Cuyahoga County Jail. That sounds cheap until you realize that jail provides zero therapeutic benefit. When you add in the cost of the police officer’s time, the court fees, the public defender, and the eventual medical costs of untreated illness, the price tag skyrockets.
Investing in the Diversion Center is an attempt at "preventative maintenance." It’s cheaper to treat someone’s addiction now than it is to process them through the legal system for the next twenty years. The ADAMHS Board and the County Council have had to defend the funding for this place several times, but the data is starting to show that it works—when it's actually used.
What You Should Know Before You Go (or Send Someone)
If you’re thinking about utilizing the Cuyahoga County Diversion Center, there are a few "fine print" items you should be aware of.
🔗 Read more: Can You Drink Green Tea Empty Stomach: What Your Gut Actually Thinks
First, it is voluntary. They cannot hold someone against their will unless they meet the very specific legal criteria for an emergency hold (meaning they are an immediate danger to themselves or others). If someone wants to walk out, they generally can. This can be frustrating for parents who just want their kid to "stay put" and get help.
Second, it’s not a medical hospital. If someone is having a heart attack or has a deep physical wound, they still need the ER. The Diversion Center is for behavioral health and detoxification. They have medical staff, but they aren't equipped for major surgery or intensive care.
Third, and this is important: it’s free to the user. Most of the costs are covered by the county and the ADAMHS Board. You shouldn't let a lack of insurance stop you from seeking help there.
Real Impact: More Than Just Numbers
I remember hearing about a guy—let’s call him James—who had been arrested sixteen times in two years for "disorderly conduct." Every time, he was just off his meds and yelling at traffic. Each arrest cost the city thousands.
The seventeenth time, a CIT-trained (Crisis Intervention Team) officer took him to the Diversion Center instead.
James got a shower. He got a hot meal. He got back on his lithium. But more importantly, a case manager found out he had lost his housing because of a paperwork error with Social Security. They fixed the paperwork. James didn't get arrested again that year. That’s one person. But that one person represents hundreds of hours of police time and thousands of dollars saved, not to mention a human being who isn't rotting in a cell.
Actionable Steps for Using the Diversion Center
If you or someone you know is in a mental health or substance use crisis in Northeast Ohio, don’t just wait for things to explode. Here is how you actually interact with this system:
- Call the Crisis Line First: Before driving down there, call the 24-hour crisis hotline at 216-623-6888. They can talk you through the situation and let you know if the Diversion Center has an open bed and if the individual meets the criteria for admission.
- Ask for a CIT Officer: If you have to call 911, specifically ask for a "Crisis Intervention Team" officer. These are Cleveland police or suburban officers who have undergone 40 hours of specialized training to recognize mental illness. They are much more likely to take someone to the Cuyahoga County Diversion Center than a standard patrol officer.
- Gather Information: If you are referring a family member, try to have a list of their current medications and any past diagnoses ready. It helps the intake team move much faster.
- Check for Substance Use: The center is excellent for "sobering up" in a safe environment. If someone is under the influence of opioids or alcohol and wants to stop, this is a much safer place to detox than a couch or a jail cell.
- Follow Up: Once the person is admitted, stay in touch with the case manager. The stay is short (usually a few days), so you need to be ready to help with the "what's next" plan as soon as they are discharged.
The Cuyahoga County Diversion Center isn't a magic wand. It won't fix the homelessness crisis or end the opioid epidemic overnight. But it is a much-needed pressure valve for a system that has been broken for a long time. It treats people like patients instead of inmates, and in a city like Cleveland, that’s a massive step in the right direction.