SAMHSA, BJA announce 10 new grant awards to enhance adult drug court services

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) at the U.S. Department of Justice today announced 10 new grant awards to enhance adult drug court services, coordination and treatment. Drug courts provide an alternative to incarceration for people involved with the criminal justice system and in need of substance abuse treatment services.

Building on the drug court model, SAMHSA and BJA developed a funding approach for courts that simplifies the application process and improves coordination of the services designed to help people overcome addictions. The grants will be used to provide alcohol and drug treatment, recovery support services supporting substance abuse treatment, screening, assessment, case management and program coordination to adult defendants/offenders.

"Through the drug court grant program, communities are able to leverage the power of the criminal justice system to reduce recidivism and substance abuse among nonviolent offenders and to increase the likelihood of successful rehabilitation" said BJA Director Denise E. O'Donnell. "This is accomplished by applying early, continuous, and intensive judicially-supervised treatment, mandatory drug testing, and appropriate sanctions and other recovery support services."

"All too often the first place people get help for behavioral health problems is the criminal justice system. While we work to improve early identification in the health system, courts are one of the places people abusing alcohol and using drugs illegally show up," said SAMHSA Administrator, Pamela S. Hyde. "Through these new grants we meet people where they are and the court system is one venue available to help people on the path towards recovery and a productive life."

Under this program, grantees will receive two separate awards: BJA will fund the drug court component and SAMHSA will fund the substance abuse treatment component. BJA is awarding 10 one-time grants for a total of $3 million for the entire three-year grant period. SAMHSA is awarding 10 new grants up to a total of $9.6 million over the next three years. The grantees may receive up to $325,000 each year, for up to three years from SAMHSA. The actual award amounts may vary and continuation awards are subject to availability of funds and progress achieved by grantees. The program is part of SAMHSA's Strategic Initiative on Trauma and Justice.