The challenge
While the diversion team had built a comprehensive and risk-responsive model of diversion, they lacked a digital behavioral health solution that matched the program's clinical sophistication:
- Static content: Existing tools offered static courses that provided required psychoeducation, but lacked the dynamic, person-centered approach needed.
- Limited scalability: There was not a scalable solution in place that addressed a range of risks and needs across different participant populations.
- Lack of actionable insights: Available tools were unable to offer actionable insights on client progress and engagement to staff.
- Values alignment: The team needed a tool that was trauma-informed, strength-based, rooted in motivational interviewing, and designed to avoid unnecessary system entanglement.
The team needed a more dynamic, motivational, and person-centered tool—especially for low- and moderate-risk individuals in both supervised and unsupervised diversion.
The approach
In early 2025, the Boulder County DA's Office adopted Atlas, a digital behavioral health platform that integrates Interactive Journaling® with motivational interviewing and criminogenic need alignment. Thanks to state-level grant funding, the team was able to launch Atlas free of charge for participants. Their implementation approach included:
- Comprehensive track coverage: Atlas was deployed across all diversion tracks—including supervised, unsupervised, and a behavioral health track serving individuals facing acute needs such as homelessness, food insecurity, and lack of Medicaid.
- Risk and need-based assignment: Journals were assigned based on risk and need level, with content supporting both offense-specific education and broader personal growth.
- Structured conversations: Participants engaged with reflective questions, skill-building exercises, and motivational prompts—then discussed their work with diversion coordinators, who reported that Atlas provided structure and depth to those conversations.
- AI-generated insights: Staff appreciated Atlas's AI-generated participant summaries, which allowed for faster preparation, better documentation, and a clearer picture of progress.
As one diversion coordinator noted, "Kids have expressed it has helped them to think of options on their own. It's not a lot of pressure, but it makes them think."
Key to successful implementation was the fit between Atlas and the office's existing approach, ensuring the platform enhanced rather than replaced the human connection at the heart of their work.
Outcomes and growth opportunities
The Boulder County DA's Office reports tangible results from their Atlas implementation:
- Widespread usage: Atlas is now used across all tracks of diversion, including low-risk, moderate-risk, and behavioral health cases.
- Case plan achievement: Among supervised clients with individualized case plans, Atlas supports goal achievement for an estimated 80% of participants.
- Desistance support: Among participants who successfully complete diversion using Atlas, the platform is estimated to play a meaningful role in reducing recidivism for approximately 60% of individuals.
- Positive participant feedback: Clients reported that digital content was "making them think" and helping them reflect in new ways.
- Enhanced staff efficiency: Diversion coordinators found that Atlas provided structure and depth to conversations while improving documentation quality.
The platform has become an integral part of the diversion program's toolkit, supporting both offense-specific education and broader personal development goals.
With all 50 user seats consistently full and growing interest among participants, the office hopes to continue scaling Atlas to bring consistent, evidence-based programming to its diversion programs.
The future of diversion programming
While the original decision to adopt Atlas was driven by a need for higher-quality digital interventions, the DA's Office has stayed with the platform because it enhances—not replaces—the human connection at the heart of their work.
The implementation demonstrates how technology can support sophisticated, evidence-based diversion programming when thoughtfully integrated into existing practices.
As the program continues to evolve, the Boulder County team remains committed to their core values of harm reduction, restorative justice, and trauma-informed care—with Atlas serving as a tool that amplifies rather than replaces their clinical expertise.
With consistent demand and positive outcomes, the office looks forward to expanding Atlas usage to serve even more participants across their comprehensive diversion tracks.
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