Court Recovery Task Force Materials
to Promote Therapeutic Courts
The Board for Judicial Administration (BJA) Court Recovery Task Force Therapeutic Courts Committee developed the following materials to help promote therapeutic courts (specialty courts including drug courts, veterans' courts, community courts, mental health courts, domestic violence courts, etc.) in communities across Washington State.
Courts in many communities have experienced decreased court referrals, challenges with changing court operations and community services, and questionable future court funding. We hope these materials help with local awareness, referrals, and in demonstrating the success of these courts for communities.
Strategies to promote therapeutic courts:
Submit articles to local county/city bar associations and local media to remind communities about therapeutic courts. (See draft article below)
Meet with public defenders and prosecutors to discuss the referral process and therapeutic court benefits.
Highlight local successes of therapeutic courts in media, presentations, and other avenues. (Consider privacy needs when sharing specific individual successes.)
Share materials with your membership and colleagues and request that they contact local stakeholders.
Ask your county/city executives and commissions/council members to fund therapeutic courts and community service needs that support participants. Share personal and community experiences with key stakeholders to highlight how funding can address local needs and benefit the community.
