Award Information
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2009, $200,000)
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 Columbia Consolidated Government will use the Drug Court Enhancement grant to provide additional services to drug court participants, purchase and implement an automated data collection system for the Court, pay for a program evaluation, and pay for training for the Drug Court Team members.
The additional services that will be offered are scholarships, residential treatment, and various medical and transportation expenses. They will provide scholarships to participants experiencing financial hardship in paying for treatment fees and drug testing costs. Ten indigent participants will also receive residential treatment to address participants who have relapsed and need a more structured program in an inclusive setting. Funds from this award will also pay for participants' dental, medical, health, transportation, and evaluations.
The automated data collection system will replace the manual data collection and entry that is currently being done by the Case Manager. With the new system, court practitioners will be able to enter, retrieve, and exchange information needed by the courts and other agencies. This will reduce data entry and improve communications. This system will also be used by the program evaluator.
A program evaluator will analyze the data collected and determine if the program is meeting administrative and procedural goals. The evaluator will review records and law enforcement data and interview Drug Court Team members, treatment providers, and stakeholders. They will then offer assistance related to any areas identified for improvement. The evaluator will also compare the outcomes of participants one-year after they complete or leave the program to individuals who are on the waiting list for the program.
Lastly, the Columbia Consolidated Government will use this award to pay for travel to trainings offered by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the National Association of Drug Court Professionals, and the National Drug Court Institute. Drug Court Team members will receive training that is specific to each individual's discipline. Any new Drug Court Team member would also receive training so they would become aware of general drug court processes.
CA/NCF