Sec. 11. (a) A person is eligible to participate in a pre-conviction forensic diversion program only if the person meets the following criteria:

(1) The person has an intellectual disability, a developmental disability, an autism spectrum disorder, a mental illness, an addictive disorder, or a combination of those conditions.

(2) The person has been charged with an offense that is:

(A) not a violent offense; and

(B) a Class A, B, or C misdemeanor, or a Level 6 felony that may be reduced to a Class A misdemeanor in accordance with IC 35-50-2-7.

(3) The person does not have a conviction for a violent offense in the previous ten (10) years.

(4) The court has determined that the person is an appropriate candidate to participate in a pre-conviction forensic diversion program.

(5) The person has been accepted into a pre-conviction forensic diversion program.

(b) Before an eligible person is permitted to participate in a pre-conviction forensic diversion program, the court shall advise the person of the following:

(1) Before the individual is permitted to participate in the program, the individual will be required to enter a guilty plea to the offense with which the individual has been charged.

(2) The court will stay entry of the judgment of conviction during the time in which the individual is successfully participating in the program. If the individual stops successfully participating in the program, or does not successfully complete the program, the court will lift its stay, enter a judgment of conviction, and sentence the individual accordingly.

(3) If the individual participates in the program, the individual may be required to remain in the program for a period not to exceed three (3) years.

(4) During treatment the individual may be confined in an institution, be released for treatment in the community, receive supervised aftercare in the community, or may be required to receive a combination of these alternatives. Programs for addictive disorders may include:

(A) addiction counseling;

(B) inpatient detoxification;

(C) case management;

(D) daily living skills; and

(E) medication assisted treatment, including a federal Food and Drug Administration approved long acting, nonaddictive medication for the treatment of opioid or alcohol dependence.

(5) If the individual successfully completes the forensic diversion program, the court will waive entry of the judgment of conviction and dismiss the charges.

(6) The court shall determine, after considering a report from the forensic diversion program, whether the individual is successfully participating in or has successfully completed the program.

(c) Before an eligible person may participate in a pre-conviction forensic diversion program, the person must plead guilty to the offense with which the person is charged.

(d) Before an eligible person may be admitted to a facility under the control of the division of mental health and addiction, the individual must be committed to the facility under IC 12-26.

(e) After the person has pleaded guilty, the court shall stay entry of judgment of conviction and place the person in the pre-conviction forensic diversion program for not more than:

(1) two (2) years, if the person has been charged with a misdemeanor; or

(2) three (3) years, if the person has been charged with a felony.

(f) If, after considering the report of the forensic diversion program, the court determines that the person has:

(1) failed to successfully participate in the forensic diversion program, or failed to successfully complete the program, the court shall lift its stay, enter judgment of conviction, and sentence the person accordingly; or

(2) successfully completed the forensic diversion program, the court shall waive entry of the judgment of conviction and dismiss the charges.

As added by P.L.85-2004, SEC.3. Amended by P.L.192-2007, SEC.6; P.L.168-2014, SEC.25; P.L.187-2015, SEC.9; P.L.209-2015, SEC.6.