Question: We are attempting to put together a jail-based non-residential RSAT program for pretrial detainees. We envisioned collaborating with the local drug court so that our eligible participants could be accepted into the drug court when they return to court if the prosecutors agree. We can use our RSAT program to make them ready to commit to drug court treatment and supervision. So far, however, we have not had much enthusiasm from the drug court staff. Are there other RSAT programs that have achieved successful collaborations with drug courts?
Answer: What you are attempting makes all the sense in the world. In fact, All Rise, formerly the National Association of Drug Court Professionals, has updated treatment court (formerly called drug court) standards to advise treatment courts to reach out to detention centers for participants! The latest All Rise Treatment Court standards call for “proactive recruitment.” The 2nd edition contains the following: “The treatment court team makes proactive efforts to recruit potentially eligible persons early in the legal case process, when they are most likely to accept referral offers and succeed in the program.” The commentary specifically calls for treatment court staff to reach out to ensure that “pretrial defendants are informed about treatment court soon after arrest; posting informational materials at the courthouse, arrest processing facility, pretrial detention facility, and other areas; and offering immediate voluntary preplea services.” (All Rise (2024). Standard IV. Adult Treatment Court Best Practice Standards 2nd ed. p. 101. - https://allrise.org/publications/standards/)
One of the best examples of a jail pretrial program collaborating with drug courts was captured on a RSAT TTA video you can find on this website called “Diverting Defendants to Treatment” https://www.rsat-tta.com/Training-Curricula/MAT-Resources---Assistance