DRUG COURTS & OTHER THERAPEUTIC COURTS
Under the Therapeutic Courts Statute (RCW 2.30), the Washington State Legislature defines and authorizes drug courts and other therapeutic courts.
The Criminal Justice Treatment Account (CJTA) created under RCW 71.24.575 established in 2002 provides funding for treatment and support services for individuals with a substance use disorder against whom charges are filed by a prosecuting attorney, within a drug court program, and for administrative and overhead costs to operate a drug court. Learn more: Origins of the CJTA and State Drug Court Funding.
State Funding for Therapeutic Courts in Courts of Limited Jurisdiction (District & Municipal Courts) is administrated through Washington State Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC).
Adult Treatment Court Best Practice Standards (All Rise) provide evidence-based guidance on 1) target population 2) equity and inclusion 3) roles and responsibilities of the judge 4) incentives, sanctions and service adjustments 5) substance use, mental health, and trauma treatment and recovery management 6) complementary services and recovery capital 7) drug and alcohol testing 8) multidisciplinary team 9) census and caseload 10) program monitoring, evaluation, and improvement.
10 Key Components of Drug Courts are summarized by Partners for Progress. More detailed information can be found through Defining Drug Courts: Key Components
AllRise Resource Page: training, publications, sample documents, case law, media and messaging, funding, podcasts, and webinars on demand for all types of therapeutic courts.
All Rise Treatment Court Institute provides training and technical assistance for treatment courts including: best practices, equity and inclusion, incentives, sanctions and therapeutic adjustments, medication for addiction treatment, assessments, multi-track treatment courts, and role specific trainings for practitioners and providers.
Urinalysis (UA) Testing in Therapeutic Courts. Presentation by Washington State Association of Drug Court Professionals (WSADCP) and Washington State Therapeutic Court Alumni Association (WSTCAA).
Equity & Inclusion Resources: to assist therapeutic court professionals in their efforts to promote equity and inclusion.
The Drug Court Team: Roles and Responsibilities. The National Center for State Courts identifies and outlines roles and responsibilities, discusses common team challenges, and explains team development.
More information related to team roles and responsibilities:
JUDGES: Role of the Judge, Drug Court Judicial Benchbook, Judicial Bench Card, Ethical Considerations for Judges and Attorneys in Drug Court, All Rise Best Practice Standard III: Roles and Responsibilities of the Judge, Essential Components of Trauma-Informed Judicial Practice (NTCRC)
PROSECUTORS: The Role of the Prosecutor in Drug Courts, The Role of Prosecutors in Drug Treatment Courts
DEFENSE ATTORNEYS: The Role of Defense Counsel on the Drug Court Team, The Role of Defense Counsel in Drug Courts, Critical Issues for Defense Attorneys
COURT COORDINATORS: The Treatment Court Coordinator
CASE MANAGERS: Drug Court Case Management: Role, Function and Utility
LAW ENFORCEMENT: The Role of Law Enforcement in Treatment Courts
PEERS: Incorporating Peer Recovery Support into Treatment Courts, Peer Support Roles in Criminal Justice Settings, Value of Peers (2017), Integrating Peer Supports in Treatment and Recovery Courts, Peer Support Roles in Criminal Justice Settings, How to Start a Treatment Court Alumni Program
TREATMENT PROVIDERS: Using Motivational Interviewing in SUD Treatment
VETERANS COURTS
Justice for Vets has free foundational training available for Veterans Treatment Courts that are pre or post implementation, in need of a refresh, or never formally trained and facing challenges. They also have a useful resource library with best practice information, key components, sample documents, and target population guidance.
Ten Key Components of Veterans Treatment Courts
When Thank You Is Not Enough (A Justice for Vets Podcast)
Supporting Individuals with Acquired Brain Injury
Veterans Treatment Court: Roles and Responsibilities
MENTAL HEALTH COURTS
Improving Responses to People with Mental Illness: The Essential Elements of a Mental Health Court. This report by the Council of State Governments Justice Center for the Bureau of Justice Assistance describes the key features of a mental health court model.
A Guide to Mental Health Court Design and Implementation by Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center provides a roadmap for those interested in establishing a mental health court in their jurisdiction. Based largely on the experiences of existing mental health courts, the guide is organized according to three basic steps that should be followed by any community considering the establishment of a mental health court, which are: understanding the mental health concept; determining whether a mental health court is appropriate; and considering elements of mental health court design and implementation.
Mental Health Court Performance Measures (MHCPM) offered by the National Center for State Courts is a set of 14 performance measures that offers court managers and administrators a tool to monitor the performance of mental health courts. These measures were designed by the NCSC with guidance from national experts and field tested by four courts across the country. The measures are designated to be used as a management tool, to monitor program performance, and to demonstrate accountability to funding agencies, court leaders, external partners, and the public.
FAMILY TREATMENT COURTS
Family Treatment Court Best Practice Standards
TRIBAL HEALING TO WELLNESS COURTS
Ten Components – Tribal Healing to Wellness Courts
COMMUNITY COURTS
What is a Community Court: How the Model is Being Adapted Across the United States (Center for Court Innovation)
Community Courts Initiative (Bureau of Justice Assistance)
JUVENILE TREATMENT COURTS
Juvenile Drug Treatment Court Guidelines
IMPAIRED DRIVING (DUI / DWI) COURTS
10 Guiding Principles for DWI Courts