Enhancing statewide adherence to best practice standards in adult problem-solving courts through accreditation and racial equity programming

This application seeks funding for Category 3: Statewide, to provide drug courts and professionals in the criminal justice system with the resources needed to plan, implement, enhance and sustain evidence-based drug court programs for nonviolent individuals with substance use disorders, who are involved in the criminal justice system through the enhancement of the statewide accreditation program by ensuring courts are operating with fidelity to the model and the staff capacity to administer the statewide accreditation program. Currently only 18 programs are accredited, and the 5-year renewal process for programs accredited in 2017 begins in 2022 with three of those twenty programs up for renewal. The current structure has created a process where only 3-4 programs are accredited per year due to the time and staffing constraints of each application which take approximately 40 hours of staff time between the coaching, technical assistance, and the application review process. Added personnel in addition to training and technical assistance will enable the statewide program to accredit all PSCs within the limited timeframe of the BJA funding and will allow sustainability for the re-accreditation process, which is less time consuming, after the funding expires.  The Problem-Solving Court Accreditation Program is designed to show the viability and benefit to stakeholders of programming by identifying that minimum standards of fidelity are in place to ensure programs and participants have the greatest likelihood for success.     

This application also seeks priority consideration through category 1(A) for addressing issues related to racial equity and the removal of barriers to access and opportunity for communities that have been historically underserved, marginalized and adversely affected by inequality. Documentation of the plan to respond to priority consideration can be found on pages 12 and 13.  The adult drug courts are post-adjudication. Several Colorado Judicial Districts have expressed interest in addressing known racial disparities by bringing HEAT for young men to our communities. The most recent and observable barriers to implementing the intervention has been funding to train new facilitators and stakeholders who can support its implementation through a deeper understanding of the intervention(s) and by referring appropriate clients to the intervention. Funding would allow the ability to further expand options to address racial disparities in our Judicial System by bringing HEAT modalities to our communities.