(a)
Counties and courts that opt to have treatment court programs shall ensure the programs are designed and operated in accordance with state and national guidelines incorporating the “Adult Treatment Court Best Practice Standards” and “Family Treatment Court Best Practice Standards” developed by All Rise (founded as the National Association of Drug Court Professionals), with consideration for the distinct court system within which the program operates. It is the intent of the
Legislature that key components of the criminal adult treatment court programs include:
(1)
Integration by treatment courts of behavioral health treatment services with justice system case processing.
(2)
Promotion of public safety, while protecting participants’ due process rights, by prosecution and defense counsel using a nonadversarial approach.
(3)
Early identification of eligible participants from the appropriate high-risk and high-need target population and prompt placement in the treatment court program.
(4)
Access provided by treatment courts to a continuum of substance
use and other behavioral health treatment and social services that are evidence based and meet the specific needs of the participant.
(5)
Frequent alcohol and other drug testing to monitor abstinence.
(6)
A system of incentives, sanctions, and service adjustments to achieve participant success.
(7)
Ongoing judicial interaction with each treatment court participant at the needed frequency to meet the needs of the participant.
(8)
Monitoring and evaluation to measure the achievement of program goals and gauge effectiveness.
(9)
Continuing interdisciplinary education to promote effective treatment
court planning, implementation, and operations.
(10)
Forging partnerships among treatment courts, public agencies, and community-based organizations to generate local support and enhance treatment court program effectiveness and to coordinate access to needed complementary services outside the program.
(11)
Working to ensure equitable access, services, and outcomes for all sociodemographic and sociocultural groups.
(b)
No later than January 1, 2026, the Judicial Council shall revise the standards of judicial administration to reflect state and nationally recognized best practices and guidelines for collaborative programs, including those described in subdivision (a).
