Summit Announcements
Summit Announcements
Here you will find important Summit related announcements. Newest announcements appear first.
September 10, 2024
PTACC Summit Heads West for the First Time: Seattle to Host 2024 International Deflection and Pre-Arrest Diversion Summit
The Police, Treatment, and Community Collaborative (PTACC) is excited to announce that the 2024 International Deflection and Pre-Arrest Diversion Summit will be held in Seattle, WA, from October 29 to November 1. This marks the first time the premier deflection Summit is heading to the West Coast, providing a unique opportunity for geographically diverse audiences to participate in groundbreaking conversations, training, and networking in the field of deflection and pre-arrest diversion.
The PTACC Summit has previously been hosted on the East Coast twice in Florida, followed by Chicago in 2022, and Denver in 2023. This year, the summit travels to the Emerald City, home to one of the nation’s pioneering deflection programs, the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) program.
“We are thrilled to take the PTACC Summit west for the first time,” said Jac Charlier, PTACC Executive Director. “By hosting the event in Seattle, we aim to expand access to the wealth of knowledge and networking opportunities available at the summit. Being on the West Coast opens participation to an audience that may not have been able to join us in the past. And hosting in the town where LEAD got it’s start is like a homecoming for deflection.”
PTACC is the global voice of the deflection and pre-arrest diversion field and the Summit provides inclusive training and networking for individuals working in various roles, from law enforcement to public health and community leaders. Attendees will have access to:
- Cutting-edge education sessions led by experts in the field
- One-on-one technical assistance and action planning opportunities
- Peer-to-peer networking and collaboration
- Inspirational keynote speakers
In addition to the Seattle Summit, PTACC is also expanding its global reach by hosting the PTACC Africa Leadership Conference on October 2-3, 2024, furthering its mission to support deflection efforts worldwide. This is an exciting step in ensuring that the innovative practices and strategies shared at PTACC events are accessible to professionals and organizations around the globe.
Youth Deflection to Take Center Stage at the 2024 PTACC International Summit
Annually, PTACC selects a special population or topic to feature during the International Deflection and Pre-Arrest Diversion Summit and throughout the following year. In previous years, PTACC has created a platform to elevate Community Collaborations, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and Veterans Deflection. At the Summit in Seattle, October 29th to November 1st, 2024, PTACC, as the definitive voice of the field of deflection and pre-arrest diversion, will launch a campaign for Youth Deflection.
The campaign for Youth Deflection aims to equip communities with the tools and knowledge needed to effectively implement youth deflection strategies. The campaign will include special engagement and education sessions during the Summit, written guidance to the field, and additional opportunities to lift-up existing Youth Deflection initiatives and lean into growth opportunities nationally and internationally.
Summit Education and Engagement on Youth Deflection
Aligning with Youth Justice Action Month, Youth Deflection will be a featured plenary session at this year’s Summit and will include a distinguished panel of national deflection experts who will delve into innovative strategies for supporting at-risk youth. The panel will be moderated by Rachel Sottile (President and CEO of the Center for Youth and Health Justice) and will feature Peria Duncan (Chair of the PTACC Youth Deflection Strategy Area and Director of the Civil Citation Diversion and Deflection Network), Tom Olk (Founder and Executive Director of the Civil Citation Diversion and Deflection Network), Logan Seacrest (Resident Fellow at R Street Institute), Denise Bertin-Epp (CEO of NACOA), and Hector Balderas (Former New Mexico Attorney General).
This plenary panel will offer a comprehensive exploration of the dynamics of youth deflection and pre-arrest diversion initiatives. Topics will include:
- Prevention, Assessment, and Connection to Services
- Family Engagement and Youth Programming
- Wrap-Around Services
- Pathways for Youth
In addition to the plenary session, several workshops throughout the Summit will focus on Youth Deflection related issues.
Official Launch and Guidance Release
The campaign will include PTACC’s first-ever guidance to the field on Youth Deflection. The guidance will provide a comprehensive framework for prevention, assessment, and connection to services for young people. This framework is designed to act as a proactive measure, helping to divert youth away from potential justice system involvement and towards positive, supportive outcomes. The guidance on Youth Deflection will be released at the Summit.
The Importance of Youth Deflection
Youth deflection and pre-arrest diversion initiatives are critical for providing early, “upstream” support to young people who are either displaying behaviors associated with delinquency, at risk of engagement with the criminal justice system, or have already committed minor offenses. Unlike traditional approaches, youth deflection does not wait for an arrest or crisis to intervene, making it a proactive measure in preventing deeper entanglement in the justice system. This approach is vital as the consequences of delinquency, arrest, and conviction can have long-lasting effects on a young person’s life, impacting opportunities such as military enlistment or college scholarships.
Lisa Daugaard Announced as First Keynote Speaker for 2024 PTACC International Deflection and Pre-Arrest Diversion Summit in Seattle, WA
The 2024 PTACC International Deflection and Pre-Arrest Diversion Summit is excited to announce that Lisa Daugaard, an architect of the groundbreaking Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) program in King County, will deliver a keynote address at this year’s summit. The event will take place in Seattle, WA, from October 29th to November 1st, 2024—returning to the city where LEAD was first launched over a decade ago.
A Return to the Roots of Deflection
Lisa Daugaard, a MacArthur Fellow and Executive Director of the Public Defender Association, is celebrated as the lead architect of the LEAD program, the nation’s pioneering deflection initiative. Established in 2011 in King County (Seattle), LEAD has provided an alternative approach to traditional law enforcement practices, focusing on improving outcomes for individuals struggling with substance use disorders and mental illness. The initiative has since become a model for jurisdictions across the country seeking to implement compassionate, effective alternatives to arrest and incarceration.
PTACC Summit 2024 Theme: Evolution and Innovation
The theme of the 2024 summit, Evolution and Innovation, aligns perfectly with Lisa’s work and the ongoing impact of the LEAD program. In her keynote address, Lisa will explore how LEAD has adapted to broader changes in policing, crime, drug treatment, and community needs over the past 13 years. She will also highlight the innovations LEAD has spearheaded, offering valuable insights into the future of deflection and pre-arrest diversion strategies.
“We are thrilled to have Lisa Daugaard as a PTACC keynote speaker, especially because this year’s Deflection Summit is taking place in Seattle,” said Jac Charlier, Executive Director of PTACC. “Her leadership in developing LEAD has influenced national discussions
on deflection and pre-arrest diversion. Lisa’s insights will be something all Summit attendees will enjoy and be able to take back home to their own deflection work.”