Allen County Juvenile Court
Diversion Services Department

1800 Allentown Road, Suite B
Lima, Ohio 45805
(419) 998-5249

E-Mail Address:

cfollett@allencountyohio.com - Director or lcook@allencountyohio.com - Admin. Sec. II

The Diversion Department of the Allen County Juvenile Court offers services to children and families in Allen County. The purpose of the program is to divert children from the court system who may be better served through intervention services.

1. Eligibility - In order to be eligible for this program, the child must be a resident of Allen County and a first time unruly or misdemeanor offender. The program will also provide services for children who have not been under court supervision for over one year for unruly offenders. The misdemeanor offenders do not get a second chance on Diversion.
   
    
2. Services:
   
   
   1. Intake- Initial meeting with parents, juvenile, teachers, or law enforcement, wherein the parties discuss possible delinquency or unruly allegations. The child is given the opportunity to take part in the program. If the child makes the commitment to the program and successfully completes the program, charges are not filed formally with the Juvenile Court.
   2. Special Referrals – Our Diversion office receives a request from parent(s), law enforcement, principals and/or counselors from various agencies requesting a one-time meeting to discuss the youth’s behavior at home and school. The Diversion Specialist will make recommendations to prevent a possible complaint from being signed with the Prosecutor’s Office.
   3. Meetings - The child and parents are required to attend meetings at Diversion Services. The Diversion Specialist will also meet with the child at school and their home. These meetings are designed to determine what community referrals may be appropriate and provide an avenue for communication regarding the child's behavior.
   4. Groups - Parents and juveniles are referred to treatment groups which promote positive peer interaction and problem solving.
   5. Project Intercept - A representative of the Diversion Department attends meetings which relate to at-risk students in Lima City Schools grades K through 8. The focus of the project is to provide intervention services to parents and children when the children display poor school attendance.
   6. Lima Alternative School and Allen County Alternative School - Both have Intervention Specialists who are employed by the Court. These employees are available for the students throughout the day and monitor compliance with the Diversion Program and court orders. The purpose of these programs is to help alleviate the need for court intervention.
   7. Court Ordered Monitoring - If a child does not successfully complete the Diversion Program, the Court may order compliance with the terms of the program if the Court finds the child to be unruly or delinquent.
   8. Tours - Three separate tours are offered to the public. A special referral must be completed before a student is signed up for any tour. Tours are offered once a month as follows:
      
      
      1. Ages 10 - 17 - Students can tour the Allen County Juvenile Court's Detention and Treatment Center.
      2. Ages 13 - 17 - Students can tour the Pathfinders House for Men/Women.
      3. Ages 14 - 17 - Lima Memorial Hospital and the Allen County Juvenile Court have teamed up to present a tour to students showing the perils of gun violence, impaired driving and other offenses of violence.