District 5 Councilmember Celebrates Diversion Center Pilot Funding

Published on September 10, 2026

City funding marks the first major step toward Councilmember Castillo’s policy to end the criminalization of homelessness and substance use.

SAN ANTONIO (September 10, 2026) – Today, the San Antonio City Council approved an amount up to $638,370 in funding for the City’s first-ever Diversion Center pilot program. This pilot program now centralizes coordination and services for the City, Bexar County, and surrounding area partners. This pilot is also the first step toward establishing a full Diversion Center, with an emphasis on the continuum of care and aftercare support.

District 5 Councilmember Teri Castillo, who introduced a Council Consideration request to convene a City-County Ad Hoc Committee for a Diversion & Recovery Center last October, provided the following statement:

“This pilot is long overdue in our community, and I want to thank all of our partners for the work they’ve done to bring us to this point. I am proud to be part of a systemic approach to reforming a systemic issue. There is still work ahead to build a centralized program in San Antonio that meets the needs of our constituents caught in the cycle of homelessness and recidivism.

“As proposed, the pilot would launch in January 2027 at the Center for Healthcare Services (CHCS) Josephine Recovery Center. The 15-bed facility will accept referrals from the Central and St. Mary’s SAPD Substations, with the goal of diverting people facing non-violent, low-level offenses, like criminal trespassing away from the criminal justice system and into treatment. The proposed pilot will run for 6 months, with the Southwest Texas Regional Advisory Council (STRAC) serving as the main convenor of the pilot.”