Adult Treatment Court

The 7th Judicial District Treatment Court (Treatment Court or TC) works with many local agencies. Partners include the District Attorney’s Office, Court-Appointed or Private Defense Counsel, County Sheriff Office and their Parole and Probation teams, NORCOR, Councils of Governments, and Mid-Columbia Center for Living. The program also connects participants with housing, sustainability services, resource networks, and other community agencies available in our outer counties.

Interventions include early, continuous, and intensive court supervised treatment, mandatory periodic drug testing, community supervision, and use of sanctions, incentives, and rehabilitation services. Potential Treatment Court (TC) participants are screened for recidivism risk and substance use treatment needs with validated assessment tools. Each person receives a treatment plan that may include individual and group counseling, family therapy, drug and alcohol testing, mental and physical health care, and regular recovery support or self help meetings. Referrals are made for vocational training, education or job placement, housing, transportation, and other needed services. The program lasts at least 12 months, and ongoing aftercare is available to those who successfully complete it.

Our Treatment Court uses a non-adversarial courtroom atmosphere and clear, consistent rules. Each participant is expected to follow those rules and take personal responsibility for their compliance.

The 7th Judicial District Treatment Court is a specially designed court docket, the purpose of which is to achieve a reduction in recidivism and substance use among moderate to high risk, high need substance abusing participants and to increase the likelihood of a successful life. Our Treatment Court program provides criminal justice alternatives, to reduce criminal activity, to promote family stability and to reduce community costs.

1. Reduce participant contact with the criminal justice system;

2. Reduce costs associated with criminal case processing and re-arrest;

3. Increase public safety by assisting participants in eliminating substance abuse, in treating mental illness and in being responsible and productive members of our community;

4. Improve the quality of life of participants by assisting them in becoming stable and substance-free;

5. Assist participants in accessing appropriate community resources

1. Ensure that all participants receive evidenced-based and data-driven services, based on nationally recognized Best Practice Standards;

2. Provide ancillary services that reduce recidivism and achieve long-term recovery;

3. Provide Participants with sufficient supervision necessary for the participant to comply with all Program requirements;

4. Track performance through an automated data system and measure performance by specifically identified desired outcomes;

5. Ensure that the Program operates in a manner consistent with principles of justice, protects public safety and preserves the constitutional rights of all participants;

6. Identify and assess participants for risk and need.

Program eligibility and assessment is dependent on an initial participant screening and assessment based on validated screening and testing instruments including the LS/CMI, WRNA, RANT and treatment assessment tools including the ASAM. 

1. Have committed a crime, have been assessed as moderate to high risk of recidivism, and have been assessed as having a substance use disorder.

2. As a condition of entering the Treatment Court program, the defendant shall enter a plea of guilty, to a qualifying charge. In the event of a probation violation allegation, the defendant shall admit to a violation prior to entry. 

3. In either case, the defendant shall be placed on probation and successful completion of Treatment Court will be made a condition of their probation. 

4. Reside within the 7th Judicial District, inclusive of inside the Mid-Columbia Region, within a distance that allows for attendance of all treatment and court obligations.

5. Participants with non-drug charges and different levels of criminal charges (felony or misdemeanor) may participate and individuals charged with drug dealing or have violent histories are not automatically rejected from program participation. The program only disqualifies individuals based on current or prior offense if empirical evidence and available treatment services suggest that those individuals cannot be safely and/or effectively managed in the specialty court program. 

6. The Treatment Court team considers individuals with metal health conditions. Participants who need mental health services are offered services by the treatment provider. If a mental health condition qualifies as a severe and persistent mental illness, the participant may be recommended to be screened for participation in the mental health court program.

7. Participants with valid prescriptions for substances, including psychotropic or addictive medication, that are otherwise prohibited by the program are not automatically disqualified from the program. The treatment provider will work with the prescribing provider, and if appropriate, an addiction specialist to determine if other medications that are not prohibited by the program could be appropriately substituted for the prohibited prescription. In making decisions regarding acceptance of an individual with serious physical or mental health issues, Treatment Court team gathers information from trained medical professionals.

8. Withdrawal – No person shall be forced to remain in the Treatment Court. Any person wishing to withdraw must notify the Treatment Court team. The person shall have (14) calendar days to rescind their request for withdrawal. 

No person has a right to participate in Treatment Court program. Admission decisions are based on the individual circumstances of the participant as well as program considerations including the current population of participants, their needs, group dynamics and available resources. Additionally, no person shall be forced to enter this program. 

The following circumstances may be reasons why a participant would be considered ineligible:

1. The person has a mental health issue that is so severe that Treatment Court team, treatment provider or treatment partners cannot provide effective treatment. Individuals with a severe and persistent mental illness may be referred to the Mental Health Court program.

2. The person has a criminal history, mental health or other circumstance that presents a significant danger to other participants or to other persons supporting Treatment Court. 

3. The defendant has holds from another jurisdiction unless the hold can quickly be resolved. 

4. The program is full as determined by the Treatment Court team. 

A Defendant who has been otherwise assessed as eligible and appropriate for a Treatment Court program, but has a history of sex offense conviction(s) or a current pending sex offense charge, the Defendant shall be eligible if: 

1. Sex offender treatment was ordered as a condition of supervision within the prior 10 years, and proof of successful completion has been submitted to the coordinator prior to an eligibility determination; or

2. 10 years has elapsed since the Defendant’s last sex offense conviction; or

3. If the Defendant is currently on supervision or charged with a sex offense, the Defendant must, at their own expense participate in a Sexual offending Risk Assessment/Psychosexual Evaluation. If the result of the evaluation is that they are at a low risk to recidivate with a sexual offense, they will be eligible to enter Treatment Court.

4. If “no contact with minors” is a current condition of supervision on a sex offense, the Defendant shall under no circumstance be eligible for Treatment Court programs.

5. The person is assessed as having a low risk and low need, making it inappropriate for them to participate with higher risk or higher need individuals

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