Pasco County Adult Drug Court Enhancement

The lead applicant, Pasco County Government, in collaboration with Florida's Sixth Judicial Circuit and treatment provider West Care Gulf Coast-Florida, Inc., is requesting funding to enhance the Pasco County Adult Drug Court. Established 17 years ago, Pasco County Adult Drug Court is a problem-solving blended felony court docket that allows for both pre-trial intervention and post-plea diversion cases. The program's purpose is to use a multifactorial approach to reduce recidivism and substance abuse among nonviolent offenders experiencing substance use disorder. The aim is to increase each offender's likelihood of successful habilitation through early, continuous, and intense judicially supervised treatment, drug testing, community supervision, and the use of appropriate sanctions and other rehabilitation services. The
proposed enhancement introduces protocols for neurotrauma screening measures, staff training, and direct client neurotrauma education in residential and outpatient treatment programs for drug-court-involved men and women 18 and older in Pasco County, Florida. The project will connect 70% of participants with a history of neurotrauma with supportive services; decrease substance use among 80% of participants; ensure at least 80% of participants do not recidivate; increase level of functioning or maintain a stable level of functioning among 80% of participants; decrease symptoms of trauma among 70% of participants from intake to discharge; and increase 70% of participants individual goal obtainment to pursue education or employment.