Frequently Asked Questions

What is the ATI Incubation Academy?
The ATI Incubation Academy is designed to build the capacity of trusted grassroots community-based organizations (with a focus on those led by BIPOC individuals) to deliver prevention and intervention services to justice involved individualism their communities.

To do so, the ATI Incubation Academy provides training, capacity building and technical assistance to community-based organizations, especially those who serve underrepresented and justice-involved people.

The Incubation Academy is part of a larger ATI Office in Los Angeles County aimed at implementing and expanding several alternatives to incarceration related efforts, including Pre-Filing Diversion, Rapid Diversion and Pre-Trial Reform. Building the capacity of service providers is foundational to these justice reform efforts and is crucial to the work of furthering the County’s “care first, jails last” vision.

In addition, the program will offer further capacity building and mentorship with lead service providers for Rapid Diversion and Pre-filing Diversion (Special Service for Groups, Amity Foundation, Tarzana Treatment Center, and Health Right 360) over the course of a year.

How does the ATI Incubation Academy work?

What do you mean by “incubation”?
Like a business incubator, the Academy is designed to support organizations as they grow into a new role. The Academy will provide mentorship, technical expertise, access to funding opportunities, and tailored coursework designed to advance organizations’ operations in providing diversion and reentry services.

Which staff members would best benefit from the material being covered?
We designed the Academy to most benefit an organization’s leadership team.

Will there be further opportunity for funding during or after the program?
Upon completion of the Academy, participating organizations may be eligible to subcontract with lead providers on re-entry services for the Rapid Diversion and Pre-Filing diversion programs.

I was chosen for the first cohort, should I start making purchases such as additional property, more staff, etc.?
While participation in the Academy is designed to build capacity to secure contracts and grants, these are not guaranteed after completion. For this reason, we do not recommend incurring costs on the basis of your participation in the Academy. We cannot speak to everyone's budgetary needs and want to be respectful of everyone's current capacity, therefore please proceed with your nonprofit as you normally operate.

How much time will I or my staff have to dedicate to this program?
We designed the Academy to include pre-recorded presentations that participants can watch during their own time, and one weekly live session with a guest presenter with time for discussion where possible. The 10-modules over 15 weeks have been designed to include both flexibility and time for structured engagement. The weekly time commitment for the academy is as follows:

Why are housing organizations being given priority?
There is a critical shortage of housing for diversion-eligible individuals. The County is only able to offer ATI as an option to a fraction of those who need it and qualify for it. Therefore, increasing the number of available beds for ATI shelter and treatment is a top priority. The first two cohorts of the Academy will focus on organizations that can provide housing and will build their capability to qualify for county funding. Organizations focused on other areas will be included in subsequent classes.

I was not chosen for the first cohort; can I apply again?
If you applied to the first cohort but were not chosen, you are automatically under consideration for the next cohort. Applicants are considered on a rolling basis, so no need to submit again.

If you have not yet applied, begin by filling out the online application here. The next cohort is scheduled to launch in January 2022.

Selected organizations should have programmatic capacity to provide housing, assessment, case management, or mental health/substance abuse treatment services to justice-involved individuals, in order to divert or remove them from the justice system at the earliest opportunity.

How does ATI help?
The Alternatives to Incarceration (ATI) initiative provides options for people who have been detained in Los Angeles County to receive treatment and services in the community and avoid detention and criminal charges. Read more about the program.

Who is involved in ATI?
ATI is a program of the Chief Executive Office of the County of Los Angeles, administered by LISC. The program depends on the involvement of community-based service providers that assist participants with shelter, treatment, and a range of services. Read about the ATI partners.

Where can I learn more about diversion in Los Angeles County?

If you or a member of your organization has any additional question not addressed here, please reach out to the following: