Montana Statewide Teleservices Treatment Court Grant

Proposal Abstract

Montana Judiciary requests $528,037 in Federal funding under Category 4: Statewide Strategies to Support Adult and Veterans Treatment Courts. Funding will be used to provide teleservices to adult treatment courts and their participants across the state, with a focus on rural and tribal communities.

The grant will directly benefit all drug court participants but especially those living in 23 counties served by 8 judicial districts without an Adult Drug Court (ADC).  Over the four-year period we expect 2,160 people will receive evidence-based treatment services and an additional 200 people out-of-district drug court services.

Principal activities, products and deliverables will yield (1) dissemination of the hardware, software, training and technical assistance necessary to link spoke courts (those without an ADC) with hub courts (those with an ADC) for case management, judicial oversight, and other key components of effective treatment courts; and, (2) linking participants in rural and tribal jurisdictions with evidence-based treatment (i.e. Seeking Safety, Moral Reconation Therapy, and the Matrix Model) through tele-health to ensure intensive outpatient-level services.

All hub and spoke courts will serve participants at high risk for criminal recidivism and high need for treatment. Medically assisted treatment (MAT) will be provided by Dr. William Reiter, a certified addiction specialist. All Montana treatment courts facilitate an assessment, and when medically appropriate, prescription of MAT including Naltrexone/Vivitrol, Suboxone, Antabuse. ASAM’s Opioid Addiction Treatment will guide opioid-specific treatment.

The Judicial Branch ensures programming consistent with  Best Practice Standards. If any recommended services are unavailable, the Judicial Branch works towards or supports others in developing them. Best Practice Standards (BPS) are addressed in this application as summarized below:

Target Population: BPS I.A-E. (Page 8 and Appendix 3)
Equity and Inclusion: BPS II.A.-E. (Page 14 and Appendix 3)
Roles and Responsibilities of the Judge: BPS IIIA.-G. (Appendix 3)
Incentives, Sanctions and Therapeutic Adjustments: BPS IVA.-L. (Appendix 3)
Substance Use Disorder Treatment: BPS V.A.-.J. (Page 14 and Appendix 3)
Complementary Treatment and Social Services: BPS VI.A.-L. (Appendix 3)
Drug Testing: BPS VII.A.-I. (Appendix 3)
Multidisciplinary Team: BPS VII.A-I. (Appendix 3)
Census and Caseloads: BPS IX.A.-BPS IX.C. (Appendix 3)
Monitoring and Evaluation: BPS X.A.-BPSX.J. (Appendix 3)

The Montana Judicial Branch/Supreme Court is not leveraging other federal funds.  The Judicial Branch will sustain the teleservices provided in this application through the Opiate Distributors Licensing Fund established by the 2019 Montana Legislature specifically for treatment courts.

Awards from OJP in the past include: 2018-VC-BX-0006, 2020-BC-BX-0061, 2019-DC-BX-0086, 2018-DC-BX-0046, 2016-DC-BX0081, 2018-DC-BX-0042, 2020-DC-BX-0025 and 2020-DC-BX-0060.