The Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office is joining forces with the Elgin Police Department on a new program to keep people out of the court system if they commit a crime tied to homelessness, drug addiction or mental illness.

Similar to the two court diversion programs the county already has — Adult Drug Court and Treatment Alternative Court for those with mental health issues — the big difference is this one will get to people before they face criminal charges, police Chief Ana Lalley said at Wednesday night’s Elgin City Council meeting.

What prosecutors and police are trying to do is “divert people to treatment alternatives before the subject enters the criminal justice system,” Lalley said. “In doing so, the police department and the state’s attorney can partner to help stabilize an individual, reduce recidivism rates and connect them to needed treatments.”

Kane County Sheriff Ron Hain contributed a portion of his budget to the state’s attorney’s office so a coordinator for the program can be hired, State’s Attorney Jamie Mosser said.

“A big thank you to the city of Elgin and Chief Lalley because without the forward-thinking of this city and this police department, we wouldn’t be this far along in the process as we are now,” Mosser said.

Kane County’s program is being modeled on the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion program in Seattle, she said. “People who go through the program have a 58% success rate and do not commit any other crimes.”

By avoiding “the coercive nature of the criminal justice system ... and just by treating them as humans and getting them access to services quick, 58% succeed,” Mosser said.

Twenty-six states are following Seattle’s model, and Kane County will be the first in Illinois to try it, she said.

There are criteria for people allowed into program, Lalley said. Only those who are facing low-level, nonviolent criminal misdemeanors, nonviolent criminal felonies related to drug possession and nonviolent city ordinance violations will be considered for the pilot program, Mosser said.

Violent crime suspects or those arrested for driving under the influence or violating an order of protection will not be eligible, she said. If there is a victim, they must decline to prosecute the person involved.

Additionally, there’s a limit on the quantity of controlled substances involved in a crime so drug sellers cannot qualify, Mosser said.

Police officers can suggest someone be admitted to the program but the final call will be the police department’s Collaborative Crisis Services Unit, Lalley said.

“I’m excited to see this move forward,” Councilwoman Tish Powell said at Wednesday night’s meeting.

In response to a question asked by Powell, Mosser said they will not be accepting people based on diversity criteria but the state’s attorney’s office will be reviewing all cases in which a defendant qualifies but is not recommended for the program.

The police department will launch the program once policies are established and officers trained, Lalley said.

Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.