Trusted World Network News

      A new independent school district joins the Network, and a highly collaborative program attempts to break the cycle of arrests of mentally ill and homeless people.  

    In just the first five months, the pilot program, Dallas Deflects, appears to be putting a dent in the number of homeless and mentally ill people arrested for low-level, nonviolent crimes. 

  Homeward Bound spearheads the innovative and collaborative venture to divert individuals to treatment rather than jail for minor crimes like hanging out near convenience stores.  

  The ‘Dallas Deflects’ partnership includes Homeward Bound, the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office, Dallas Police, area law enforcement agencies, the North Texas Behavioral Health Authority, and Parkland Hospital. 

   Homeward Bound’s Executive Director Doug Denton says aside from giving these individuals the help they need, it lessens the burden on police agencies and reduces the high cost of incarceration.  

  Since August, Denton says, more than 100 people chose the deflection program over arrest for criminal trespass. “It may seem small, but those numbers will add up over time. And as we grow and as we make our presence known to all the law enforcement agencies in the county, we’ll be used more and more. When they find out, we’re a convenient opportunity and a way to practice efficient compassion. Our numbers are going to grow; our impact is going to increase, Denton says.”

    “I think Dallas Deflects it’s such an embodiment of how can we best serve the community?” Jamey Applegate, former Senior Director of Innovation for the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas turned Trusted World Board member says the strategic alliance of Dallas Deflects has the potential to change lives, save time, money, and more. Applegate says, “It’s building stronger bonds between police and the communities they serve. It’s making them less scary. It’s making them a stronger part of the community fabric. And it’s showing they are able to do much more than simply show up and arrest people. Now, they can show up and diffuse a situation and help people get the support they need.”

  In 2020 Dallas County Commissioners provided a million dollars for completing the Deflection Center at Homeward Bound. Denton believes the program will pay for itself within two and a half years and likely save taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. 

    Homeward Bound is a Trusted World Network partner.             

Duncanville ISD Joins TW Network                         

    Duncanville ISD becomes the latest North Texas independent school district to join the Trusted World Network. The Founder and CEO of the organization taught school counselors how to use the Partner Portal last Friday. Counselors in all 18 Duncanville schools can now order quality, size-specific clothing, food, and toiletries for students and their families when they see the need. The district is home to nearly 13 thousand students.

   Duncanville is the 20th independent school district to join the Trusted World Network.

Make a Difference

    If you’d like to help make a difference, you can go to TrustedWorld.org, and under the ways to give link, you can click on the Amazon Wish List to find food and clothing items the Network needs. 

    For clothing donations, one of our key sponsors, the Credit Union of Texas, has a dropoff bin in every one of their North Texas branch locations. Next to the bin is a banner with a QR code if you’d like to make a monetary donation. You’ll find a complete list of dropoff bin locations on the Trusted World website. 

  That’s a look at the headlines from around the Trusted World Network, where you can join us in helping people help people.