Treatment Court Rehabilitation and Recovery Act

Summary#

This bill would replace an existing part of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 with a new Treatment Court Discretionary Grant Program. The Attorney General could give grants to States, State courts, local courts, units of local government, and Indian tribal governments to create or expand treatment courts. Covered court types include juvenile drug treatment courts, family treatment courts, Tribal healing to wellness courts, impaired driving courts, adult drug treatment courts, and other courts that meet national best-practice standards.

The bill sets rules for who may participate in treatment courts. A participant must be diagnosed with a substance use disorder (or co-occurring mental health disorder), meet team-approved eligibility criteria, be judged not to pose a risk of violence, and not be charged with certain serious sexual offenses, murder, or assault with intent to commit murder. Treatment court teams must consider community risk, criminal history, victims' views, potential benefit to the participant, and potential community cost savings when deciding eligibility.

The bill requires evidence-based clinical assessment and allows medication for addiction treatment when clinically appropriate. It requires licensed or accredited treatment providers following State standards. Applicants for grants must certify nondiscrimination, protections for right to counsel, coordination with affected agencies, plans for sustainability after Federal support ends, and that Federal funds will supplement but not supplant other funding. The Attorney General may issue regulations, provide training and technical assistance, and limit administrative costs to not more than 10 percent of a grant.

The bill limits the Federal share of a grant to no more than 75 percent of program costs unless the Attorney General waives that requirement. The Attorney General must prioritize applicants that follow national practice standards, seek equitable geographic distribution, and require grantees to collect access and retention data to detect and address disparities. Grantees must report on program effectiveness. The Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance must conduct a national multi-site evaluation and submit results to Congress within three years of enactment.

What it means for you#

• State, local, and tribal courts and governments can apply for federal grants to start or improve treatment courts that offer supervised treatment and services instead of or alongside traditional criminal processing.
• People charged with offenses who have a substance use disorder may be eligible for these programs if they meet the specific eligibility rules set by the treatment court team.
• Treatment services must use evidence-based clinical assessments, may include medication for addiction treatment if appropriate, and must be provided by licensed or accredited providers under State standards.
• Applicants and programs must document access and retention data and certify nondiscrimination and protections for participants' right to counsel.

Expenses#

• The bill text states an authorization of appropriations of "$100,000,0000 for each year for fiscal years 2024 through 2028." No further detail or correction of that figure is provided in the bill text.
• The Federal share of grant funding may not exceed 75 percent of program costs in a fiscal year unless the Attorney General waives that matching requirement. In-kind contributions may count toward the non-Federal share.
• No more than 10 percent of a grant may be used for administrative costs.
• The bill requires that Federal support supplement, not supplant, State, tribal, and local funding that would otherwise be available.

Proponents' View#

No publicly available information.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information.