Davidson County GS Recovery Court is applying for funds to begin and support the operations of a DUI court.

Category 3 funding is requested to implement a DUI Court in the General Sessions Court of Nashville and Davidson Court.  The program will serve participants in General Sessions Court convicted of a misdemeanor DUI offense. The court is requesting the total allowable amount of $301,539.86 in funding for the duration of the grant. The new DUI Court proposes to serve 350 new participants over the grant reporting period. The minimum length of the program will be 11 months and 29 days, with a proposed maximum of 18 months. The target population includes persons who have been charged with a misdemeanor DUI (without victim injury), have been identified as high-risk for committing a new offense and high-need for substance use disorder treatment, and who voluntarily enter DUI Court. Participants in the DUI Court will have access to Medication-Assisted Therapy (MAT) through local community partners and will receive clinical assessments for necessary service referrals. The Court will integrate National Center for DWI Courts 10 Guiding Principles (Narrative p.12-13).  The Court will operate in a multidisciplinary team approach with judicial leadership.  Funding will be used as allowed to support training, direct services for participants, housing, drug and alcohol testing and therapeutic services as assessed including a heavy integration of Medication Assisted Treatment.

    Upon acceptance into the DUI court, participants will complete a variety of clinical assessments and will be referred to appropriate service providers both in and around Nashville. All participants will receive assistance in acquiring supportive services to minimize their risk of reoffending and prepare them for life beyond DUI Court. The residents of the Metropolitan Nashville area will benefit from the program because of increased public safety, reduced rates of substance use, and cost savings incurred through more efficient due process with persons charged with DUI. Participants will address the root causes of their behavior, attend rigorous rehabilitative treatment, and be mandated to acquire employment to pay court fees, restitution, and contribute to the betterment of society. All services provided to participants and communication with and about participants will be maintained in our probation database.  Drug testing results will be maintained in aversys (Averhealth web-based database).  Outcome data and participant surveys will be used to evaluate the DUI Court effectiveness.

    No other funding services are currently being leveraged by General Sessions in conjunction with this grant, and the applicant jurisdiction has not previously received a drug court grant from OJP.