Proposition 36, the Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act of 2000, diverts nonviolent drug offenders from incarceration into community-based substance abuse treatment programs. The purpose of the Act is to provide appropriate and effective treatment alternatives for those individuals who do not present a danger to the community, with the goals of enhancing public safety, reducing recidivism and drug-related crimes. The County Executive's Office, as the designated lead agency in Santa Clara County, worked collaboratively with the Proposition 36 Steering Committee to develop an Implementation Plan that incorporated valuable lessons learned from the challenges of building effective collaborations among the various stakeholders.