San Mateo County Adult Drug Court Enhancement Program

The Drug Court Discretionary Grant Program is designed to assist states, state courts, local courts, units of local government, and Indian tribal governments in developing and establishing drug courts for substance-abusing adult and juvenile offenders. Drug court programs funded by the Drug Court Discretionary Grant Program are required by law to target nonviolent offenders. The program supports the following activities: adult drug court implementation, single jurisdiction drug court enhancement, statewide drug court enhancement, and planning efforts.

The San Mateo County Human Services Agency's Alcohol and Other Drug Services Division (AOD) will use its grant award to enhance its existing Drug Court with methamphetamine-specific treatment. The AOD's goals for enhancement are: 1) to establish specialized services for methamphetamine addicts who qualify for San Mateo Drug Court; 2) to reduce relapse and recidivism among methamphetamine abusing Drug Court participants; and 3) to ensure that these participants maintain safe, stable, and substance-free lives.

The AOD will hire two specialist case managers and contract with a psychologist to work with dually-diagnosed methamphetamine abusers. The case managers will be trained in evidence-based practice, incorporating Motivational Enhancement Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Case managers will guide participants through their Drug Court phase transitions to lower levels of care, and ensure that the clients remain connected to the treatment programs for at least one year. Currently many methamphetamine-using Drug Court clients lose their connection to treatment and service programs once they leave residential/intensive phase because of a lack of ongoing support. The new case mangers will stem this drop-off and help their clients become long-term productive and substance-free community members.

An addictions psychologist will provide therapy, link clients with medical professionals, and ensure that they receive psychiatric evaluation and medication. The psychologist is an important addition to the Drug Court since the psychological damage associated with long-term methamphetamine use is often severe. Methamphetamine users are prone to relapse, often have dual diagnoses, and are likely to suffer from violence, paranoia, agitation, memory loss, confusion, insomnia, depression, boredom, neurological damage, and persistent psychotic symptoms.

CA/NCF