2023 ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Washington State Association of Drug Court Professionals

Washington Association of Drug Courts

Five Year (2019 – 2024) Strategic Plan

2023 Accomplishments

Introduction: The Strategic Plan reflects the commitment of the Washington State Association of Drug Court Professionals (WSADCP) and Washington State Association of Drug Courts (WADC) Board to champion proven strategies within the judicial system that empower people to change their lives.

Vision: All eligible persons charged with a crime in Washington State have access to a high-quality therapeutic court.

Mission: To promote and provide leadership for therapeutic courts throughout Washington State.

Goal 1: Promote best practices for all therapeutic courts in Washington.

Goal 2: Strengthen our ability to provide services and resources to therapeutic courts in Washington.

Goal 3: Strengthen our advocacy efforts for therapeutic courts across the state.

Goal 4: Expand support and membership to all therapeutic courts in Washington.

Strategies by goal:

Goal 1: Promote best practices for all therapeutic courts in Washington.

Strategies:

  1. Provide training and support for the use of best practices at all WSADCP training conferences.
   

2023 Accomplishments:

  • Held Annual WSADCP Conference (2 days, in person)
  • Collaboration with Racial Equity Works, HCA, and AOC in developing a three-part virtual training series on othering, belonging, and racism.  The training will focus on therapeutic programs and be launched in the spring 2024.

2. Encourage the use of evidence based and best practices in all therapeutic courts.

   

2023 Accomplishments:

  • Annual WSADCP Conference featured workshops on New Adult Treatment Court Best Practice Standards.
  • WSADCP Conference slides available on website as a resource following the conference.

3. Establish a subcommittee composed of former therapeutic court participants to provide participant input on standards of care and best practices.

   

2023 Accomplishments:

  • Alumni-facilitated Strength of Lived Experience conversation at WSADCP Conference.
  • WA State Treatment Court Alumni Group planning started.

4. Consider establishing a mentoring program for new therapeutic courts and court professionals.

   

2023 Accomplishments:

  • Coordination with AOC to provide mentorship for new CLJ therapeutic courts.
  • Facilitated statewide conversations by role at WSADCP Conference including: Prosecutors, Defense Attorneys, Judges, Strength of Lived Experience (led by treatment court alumni).

5. Consider establishing a credentialing and/or affiliation policy and process for therapeutic courts in Washington.

   

2023 Accomplishments:

  • MOA signed with AOC (who would likely take the lead if a credentialing process was established).

Goal 2: Strengthen our ability to provide services and resources to therapeutic courts in Washington.

Strategies:

  1. Continue to provide high quality training for therapeutic court professionals across the state.
   

2023 Accomplishments:

  • Annual WSADCP Conference (2 days, in person).
  • Partnered with AOC and HCA on Conference – able to provide scholarships for 1st time.
  • WSADCP Conference slides available on website as a resource following the conference.
  • Collaboration with Racial Equity Works, HCA, and AOC in developing a three-part virtual training series on othering, belonging, and racism.  The training will focus on therapeutic programs and be launched in the spring 2024.

2. Improve membership tracking and provide opportunities for members to communicate with each other.

   

2023 Accomplishments:

  • Able to sort/view Conference attendance by WSADCP membership, county, role, court type.
  • Signed MOU with AOC who now serves as lead for Court Coordinator meetings during the year.

3. Design a new website to provide information resources for therapeutic court professionals.

   

2023 Accomplishments:

  • Treatment Court and alumni stories featured on website for Treatment Court Month (May 2023).
  • WSADCP Conference slides available on website as a resource following the conference.
  • Published report “The Evidence for Washington Drug Courts” which was posted to website in a new “Outcomes” section.

4. Develop and share advocacy resources such as a speaker’s bureau, talking points, handouts, PowerPoint shows, etc. for use in presentations, especially those who are starting a new therapeutic court.

   

2023 Accomplishments:

  • Governor’s Treatment Court Month proclamation contains talking points on treatment courts. Posted to website as a resource.
  • Published report “The Evidence for Washington Drug Courts” which contains talking points on the effectiveness of drug courts. Posted to website as a resource.

Goal 3: Strengthen our advocacy efforts for therapeutic courts across the state.

Strategies:

  1. Continue to represent the interests of therapeutic court professionals on the Criminal Justice Treatment Account (CJTA) panel and with DBHR.
   

2023 Accomplishments:

  • Have member and alternate on the CJTA Panel.
  • Treatment provider workforce survey completed and presented at CJTA Panel along with relevant history of SUD treatment in Washington.
  • Involvement in SURSAC (Substance Use Recovery Services Advisory Committee). Members attended SURSAC meetings to observe and advocate for the interests of therapeutic courts and treatment. WSADCP selected a representative and applied to be a member of SUDISA (Substance Use Disorder Intake Screening and Assessment) subcommittee but were not accepted to be part of the subcommittee, so will be attending in an observing role.

2. Continue legislative advocacy to expand resources (including CJTA) and capacity for therapeutic courts, treatment, and recovery support services throughout the state.

   

2023 Accomplishments:

  • Contracted with Evergreen Public Affairs for lobbying and consultation services.
  • 2023 President served a liaison to Evergreen Public affairs and monitored legislative activities that could impact therapeutic court services.
  • Legislative accomplishments:
  • CJTA fully appropriated at approximately $20 million per biennium.
  • Proviso extending use of CJTA for 180 days post-graduation through June 2025.
  • Funding for therapeutic alternatives in Courts of Limited Jurisdiction fully appropriated at approx. $20 million for the biennium. (Significantly more than the approximately $9 million provided last biennium.)
  • AOC’s Family Treatment Court Team Budget Request funded at approximately $1 million. (WADC supported.)
  • SB 5225 passed and funded — extends Working Connections Child Care subsidies to all therapeutic court participants.
  • Blake-related:
  • SB 1492 – Blake “financial fix”. Testified on considerations related to fee reimbursement impacts on treatment providers.
  • SB 5624 – “Blake fix” and implementing the recommendations of the SURSAC. Testified in general support but clarifying that SUD screenings should be separate than SUD assessments.
  • Signed on in support of Pioneer Human Services letter seeking creation of reimbursement for stabilization services through a “firehouse model” facility where individuals could go to get SUD and mental health services 24/7. The requested reimbursement would be based on funding a 24/7 facility and not just fee-for-service reimbursement.
  • Meetings with policymakers and support staff including:
    • US Congressman Newhouse
    • Meeting with Governor’s Policy Advisor re: Drug Courts

3. Support increased capacity for standardized data collection and analysis to measure the effectiveness of therapeutic courts, especially for high-risk/high-need offenders.

   

2023 Accomplishments:

Workshops at WSADCP Annual Conference on data collection and analysis featuring new AOC WATER Tool.

4. Create messaging to distinguish therapeutic courts from other diversion programs to demonstrate the unique strengths of the model for appropriate offenders.

   

2023 Accomplishments:

  • Emailed to all legislators: Treatment Court Month Proclamation by Governor, link to WSADCP website featuring stories and accomplishments from treatment courts across the state.
  • Published report “The Evidence for Washington Drug Courts”, posted in new “Outcomes” section on WSADCP website and distributed to all legislators.
  • KUOW interview on Drug Courts featuring WSADCP/WADC.
  • Justice Steven Gonzalez highlighted Washington Treatment Courts in his State of the Judiciary speech.
  • Drug Court eligibility and capacity work: Committee formed, ongoing meetings, compilation/comparison of Drug Court eligibility criteria by county, facilitated conversations by role at WSADCP Conference.
  1. Consider organizing a legislative advocacy day for therapeutic court professionals.
  2. Create a WSADCP legislative or public policy subcommittee.

Goal 4: Expand support and membership to all therapeutic courts in Washington.

Strategies:

  1. Expand legislative advocacy to include all therapeutic courts.
   

2023 Accomplishments:

Worked with Evergreen Public Affairs to monitor and promote support of all therapeutic courts, including increased funding for District/Municipal Courts.

2. Recruit representation from other therapeutic courts to WSADCP board.

     

3. Encourage collaboration between therapeutic courts within a jurisdiction and throughout the state.

   

2023 Accomplishments:

  • Facilitated statewide conversations by role at WSADCP Conference including: Prosecutors, Defense Attorneys, Judges, Strength of Lived Experience (led by treatment court alumni).
  • Drug Court eligibility and capacity work: Committee formed and held ongoing meetings.
  • Compilation/comparison of Drug Court eligibility criteria by county.

4. Seek higher participation and representation from tribal therapeutic courts.

   

2023 Accomplishments:

  • Tribal court participation in WSADCP Conference.

Next Review: February 2024