In the News

SEATTLE -- King County officials working with the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) program met with Congresswoman Suzan DelBene Friday morning.

LEAD has been used in the area since 2011 as an alternative to help those suffering from substance abuse issues.

Service workers help participants with anything from housing, to job placement, to drug treatment, though participants aren’t required to be sober.

“The opioid crisis is tearing apart families across the country, including in Washington state,” DelBene said. “Instead of arresting and prosecuting low-level drug offenders, we should be supporting successful programs like LEAD that direct them to the services and help they need — reducing costs and recidivism in our criminal-justice system.”

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