Recovery and Reentry Project

PROGRAM ABSTRACT

Superior Court of California, County of San Joaquin (SJ-Co), is applying for the 2022 Adult Drug Court Discretionary Grant Program, Category 2 (Enhancement) for the SJ-Co jurisdiction, population 789,910,[1] which includes urban and rural communities.[2] SJ-Co has highly disadvantaged communities with disparate poverty, crime rates drawing national attention, and significant drug use.

The “Recovery and Reentry Project” enhances the Adult Drug Court (ADC).

ADC serves all of SJ-Co and is a post-adjudication program. Established and began operating: July 3, 1995, it has grown into a successful collaboration between local and state partners. ADC involves close supervision and cooperation of a multidisciplinary team committed to rehabilitation and reentry. Target population: nonviolent[3] offenders at high risk to reoffend with high substance abuse treatment needs (HRHN). HRHN population includes offenders with co-occurring disorders with addiction.

ADC makes all efforts to provide equivalent access: it accepts misdemeanors and felonies; does not impose fees; eligibility determined by the Risk and Needs Triage, an evidence-based screening tool that screens in HRHN defendants. Total clients (CLTs) proposed to be served by grant funds is 260 over the four-year grant period. ADC CLTs spend an average of 12 months in the program, maximum 18 months. Admissions protocol for referred defendants are to be assessed with a validated evidence-based assessment and monitored weekly. ADC leverages community and agency partners' resources for treatment to minimize costs to CLT. Including a partnership with San Joaquin County Behavioral Health (BHS), which funds two treatment centers designed to support Medicated Assisted Treatment (MAT) and utilizing Medi-Cal (California’s federally funded Medicaid system) resources for treatment.

Total requested: $750,000 over four years. ADC plans to hire one case manager, provide recovery housing, and random testing with grant funds. Assess and connect CLTs to treatment within one week from custody release or one week from sentencing for out-of-custody CLTs, including referring them for MAT. This project addresses deficiencies in Adult Drug Court Best Practice Standards #6 (enhancing recovery services), #7 (AOD testing), and #9 (adequate case managers).

Data will be collected from assessment tools, CLT interviews, drug test forms, case manager notes, court documents, jail records, and probation reports. Data will include graduates 12 and 24 months post-program completion. Recidivism data will be collected on formal criminal charges filed against CLTs.

[1] US Census Bureau QuickFacts (Updated 2021)

[2] US Census Bureau, County Classification Lookup Table (Accessed March 2022)

[3] As defined in 34 USC § 10613