The fall and rise of mental health diversion

The notion and practice of diversion of individuals with mental health problems has undergone transformations in the last twenty years. The 'classic' conception of diversion is the removal of an individual away from prison (or remand) into a health setting. Currently many diversion schemes offer information to the courts and support the disordered individual without diversion being the over-riding objective. Their operation might be seen as a mixture of assessment, referral, liaison and advocacy. This article describes areas of effective practice identified from a comprehensive literature review, and key findings from a pilot study.