Massachusetts Youth Diversion Program (MYDP)

This page provides information about the Massachusetts Youth Diversion Program.

Based on the recommendations in the Juvenile Justice Policy and Data (JJPAD) Board’s 2019 report on diversion, and modeled after the Board’s Model Program Guide, the OCA partnered with the Department of Youth Services to launch the Diversion Learning Lab project in FY22. The Diversion Learning Lab is a state-level youth diversion initiative that provides high-quality, evidence-based youth programming that can serve as an alternative to arresting youth or prosecuting them through the Juvenile Court.

The pilot initially launched in three counties in 2022: Worcester (with diversion services provided by Advocates), Middlesex (with diversion services provided by NFI Massachusetts), and Essex (with diversion services provided by Family Services of the Merrimack Valley). 

In 2023, the program expanded to two additional sites: Plymouth County (with diversion services provided by Old Colony YMCA) and Hampden County (with diversion services provided by the Gándara Center). In 2024, the program expanded further to the Cape Cod and the Islands (with diversion services provided by Advocates) and Bristol County (with diversion services provided by Child & Family Services). In 2025, the program expanded to three additional sites: Suffolk County (with diversion services provided by RFK Community Alliance), Norfolk County (with diversion services provided by Bay State Community Services), and Berkshire County (with diversion services provided by the Brien Center). 

Each provider has a Diversion Coordinator dedicated to accepting referred youth to the program, conducting necessary assessments and intake, developing a diversion agreement, matching services, and providing case management. Additionally, DYS hired a Diversion Manager to act as the central coordinator across all ten sites.

Beginning in FY25, funding for the program transferred from OCA to DYS, marking the end of the pilot and initial evaluation phase of this program and the formal establishment of the MYDP as a line item in the state budget and ongoing state service.   

The OCA works closely with our partners at DYS to monitor program implementation. Since the program launched, the OCA has published annual Impact Reports to share data, track progress, and highlight key trends.

The MYDP Year One and Year Two reports provide an overview of early results and lessons learned from the program’s launch and early growth. The MYDP Year 3 Impact Report details findings from the third year of program implementation, as well as opportunities for program improvement.