Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts

The Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts (AOIC) proposes 'Expanding Access and Improving Outcomes in Illinois' Treatment Courts'. The purpose is to increase court capacity, improve graduation outcomes, and expand access to evidence-based treatments and recovery support services. Project activities include hiring a Project Director; expanding drug testing; expanding courts' ability to conduct assessments; and funding recovery support services. AOIC will address racial inequities within the project courts and provide greater access to services for historically underserved populations. 

Expected outcomes include working with project courts to address areas of need while utilizing the Project Director to act as a state-wide liaison between AOIC, project courts, and community resources that include training, education, and access to resources such as Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT); enable project courts to hire additional staff and purchase drug testing supplies to expand testing capabilities; hire additional staff to conduct assessments for speedier entry into treatment court; provide recovery support; and engage peer/alumni recovery support services. Subrecipient activities include partnering with the National Center for State Courts and the 4-5 project courts. 

Illinois treatment courts are a combination of pre- and post- adjudication models. $2,500,000 is requested to provide services to approximately 250 unduplicated participants. Each project court will have slightly different minimum, maximum, and average length of participation, however, the statewide average is approximately 14 months, 26 moths, and 18 months, respectively. Project courts will be selected across the state and focus on addressing racial inequities and underserved populations. 

Illinois Problem-Solving Court Standards state the target population for treatment courts as court-involved individuals who are legally eligible, score as moderate-high to high in criminogenic risk, and have high behavioral health treatment needs. Per the Standards, all treatment courts must offer and support the use of MAT for participants and each project court will have access to all types of MAT.