Manhattan ATI Substance Use Treatment Enhancement

Under Category 1A of the FY23 Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and
Substance Use Site-based Program, the New York State Unified Court System’s New York
County Supreme Court, Criminal Term (NYCSC), in partnership with the Center for Justice
Innovation (Center), requests $1,600,000 over three years to reduce the use and misuse of
opioids, stimulants, and other substances and improve access to and engagement in treatment by
integrating peer recovery services into and enhancing the capacity of the Manhattan Felony
Alternative to Incarceration Court (ATI Court) through the Manhattan ATI Substance Use
Treatment Enhancement Project. The ATI Court, focused on people charged with felonies in
Manhattan, serves more than 350 people each year, offering alternatives to incarceration for all
types of felony cases, including violent offenses. The ATI Court provides individualized clinical
assessments; treatment plans tailored to participant needs; and rigorous monitoring of
engagement in services. This first-of-its-kind all-purpose ATI Court provides a model for efforts
nationwide to reduce incarceration, enhance public safety, and decrease recidivism for felony
defendants. Nearly 60% of ATI Court participants struggle with substance use; 20% have
substance use needs, are homeless, and are incarcerated when referred. To better serve
participants, particularly those using opioids and at high risk of overdose, the ATI Court will add
peer specialists with lived experience of recovery and justice-involvement to its clinical team.
This initiative will 1) embed social workers and peers at the third intercept of the Sequential
Intercept Model (approx. 34% of budget); 2) increase the use and quality of alternative to
incarceration services (approx. 18% of budget); 3) engage participants leaving jail in evidence based treatments, such as medication-assisted treatment and harm reduction (approx. 13% of
budget); and 4) use naloxone to reverse overdoses (approx. 4% of budget). (Approx. 6% of
budget will support other required costs.) There are no active Bureau of Justice Assistance
grants in this jurisdiction with activities known to be related to this application. If funded,
NYCSC will provide a sub-award to the Center to employ two peer specialists, a senior social
worker, and a court resource coordinator. Research partner MDRC, proposed sub-recipient of the
Center, will evaluate the model (approx. 25% of budget), particularly its impact on long-term
wellness among participants with substance use disorder and justice system outcomes among all
participants.