Problem Solving Courts

Introduction

Notice: AOC is currently unable to update the information contained on this webpage. As a result, data and informational items may not be current.

For the most current list of contact information for all problem-solving courts, please visit THERAPEUTIC COURTS – Washington State Association of Drug Court Professionals and washington association of drug courts (wsadcp.org).

The Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) and the Department of Social and Health Services, Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery (DBHR) collaborate with regard to therapeutic courts in the state.

These agencies share the goal of improving coordination and communication with therapeutic courts in the state of Washington and maintain this directory of therapeutic courts. This page provides a timeline of implementation of the therapeutic courts in Washington, as well as common definitions. The directory has been organized by county. Courts with jurisdictions comprising multiple counties have their therapeutic courts listed in both counties. There are sub-directories available that have been organized by type of court (all juvenile drug courts, for example).

The Legislature has authorized jurisdictions to adopt an additional .1% sales tax to be used for chemical dependency treatment, mental health treatment, or to operate therapeutic courts.  The following counties have adopted the additional .1% sales tax for these services (authorized under RCW 82.14.460): Clallam, Clark, Cowlitz, Ferry, Grays Harbor, Island, Jefferson, King, Lewis, Mason, Okanogan, San Juan, Skagit, Skamania, Snohomish, Spokane, Thurston, Wahkiakum, Walla Walla, and Whatcom.  The City of Tacoma has also adopted the .1% rate.

Descriptions of Therapeutic Courts

Adult Drug Court ⁽¹⁾

A specially designed court calendar or docket, the purposes of which are to achieve a reduction in recidivism and substance abuse among nonviolent substance abusing offenders and to increase the offender's likelihood of successful habilitation through early, continuous, and intense judicially supervised treatment, mandatory periodic drug testing, community supervision, and use of appropriate sanctions and other rehabilitation services (Bureau of Justice Assistance, 2005).

Juvenile Drug Court ⁽¹⁾

A juvenile drug court is a docket within a juvenile court to which selected delinquency cases, and in some instances status offenders, are referred for handling by a designated judge. The youth referred to this docket are identified as having problems with alcohol and/or other drugs. Over the course of a year or more, the team meets frequently (often weekly), determining how best to address the substance abuse and related problems of the youth and his or her family that have brought the youth into contact with the justice system. (National Drug Court Institute and National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, 2003, p. 7). In Washington, all of the juvenile drug courts with the exception of one deal exclusively with juvenile offenders.

Family Dependency Treatment Court (Family Drug Court) ⁽¹⁾

Family dependency treatment court is a juvenile or family court docket of which selected abuse, neglect, and dependency cases are identified where parental substance abuse is a primary factor. Judges, attorneys, child protection services, and treatment personnel unite with the goal of providing safe, nurturing, and permanent homes for children while simultaneously providing parents the necessary support and services to become drug and alcohol abstinent. Family dependency treatment courts aid parents in regaining control of their lives and promote long-term stabilized recovery to enhance the possibility of family reunification within mandatory legal timeframes (Wheeler and Siegerist, 2003).

Mental Health Court ⁽²⁾

Modeled after drug courts and developed in response to the overrepresentation of people with mental illnesses in the criminal justice system, mental health courts divert select defendants with mental illnesses into judicially supervised, community-based treatment. Currently, all mental health courts are voluntary. Defendants are invited to participate in the mental health court following a specialized screening and assessment, and they may choose to decline participation. For those who agree to the terms and conditions of community-based supervision, a team of court staff and mental health professionals works together to develop treatment plans and supervise participants in the community. (Council of State Governments, 2005).

DUI Court ⁽¹⁾

A DUI court is a distinct post-conviction court system dedicated to changing the r of the alcohol-dependent repeat offender arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs (DUI). The goal of the DUI court is to protect public safety by using the drug court model to address the root cause of impaired driving: alcohol and other drugs of abuse. Variants of DUI courts include drug courts that also take DUI offenders, which are commonly referred to as "hybrid" DUI courts or DUI/drug courts. (Loeffler and Huddleston, 2003). DUI courts often enhance their close monitoring of offenders using home and field visits, as well as technological innovations such as Ignition Interlock devices and the SCRAM transdermal alcohol detection device (Harberts and Waters, 2006).

Veterans Treatment Court ⁽¹⁾

Drug Courts around the country have seen rising numbers of veterans in their programs and sought to offer specialized services to address their unique needs. The Veterans Treatment Court model use veterans as mentors to help defendants engage in treatment and counseling as well as partner with local Veterans Affairs offices to ensure that participants receive proper benefits. Veterans Treatment Courts have garnered national media attention and widespread interest in the Drug Court field. There are currently over thirty states looking to implement a Veterans Treatment Court with many more sure to follow.

Domestic Violence Court ⁽²⁾

A felony domestic violence court is designed to address traditional problems of domestic violence such as low reports, withdrawn charges, threats to victim, lack of defendant accountability, and high recidivism, by intense judicial scrutiny of the defendant and close cooperation between the judiciary and social services. A permanent judge works with the prosecution, assigned victim advocates, social services, and the defense to ensure physical separation between the victim and all forms of intimidation from the defendant or defendant's family throughout the entirety of the judicial process; provide the victim with the housing and job training needed to begin an independent existence from the offender (Mazur and Aldrich, 2003); and continuously monitor the defendant in terms of compliance with protective orders and substance abuse treatment (Winick, 2000). Additionally, a case manager ascertains the victim's needs and monitors cooperation by the defendant, and close collaboration with defense counsel ensures compliance with due process safeguards and protects defendant's rights. Variants include the misdemeanor domestic violence court which handles larger volumes of cases and is designed to combat the progressive nature of the crime to preempt later felonies, and the integrated domestic violence court in which a single judge handles all judicial aspects relating to one family, including criminal cases, protective orders, custody, visitation, and even divorce (Mazur and Aldrich, 2003).

 ⁽¹⁾ As defined by National Drug Court Professionals at http://www.nadcp.org/learn/what-are-drug-courts/models

⁽²⁾ As defined by National Drug Court Professionals at http://www.nadcp.org/learn/what-are-drug-courts/models/problem-solving-courts