+ All Categories
Home > Documents > LADCP Best Practices

LADCP Best Practices

Date post: 08-Aug-2018
Category:
Upload: egibso1
View: 215 times
Download: 0 times
Share this document with a friend

of 20

Transcript
  • 8/22/2019 LADCP Best Practices

    1/20

    BSPRCTCESFORLOUSANADRGCOUS

    Developed in cooperation with the Louisiana

    Supreme Court Drug Court Office and the

    Louisiana Office for Addictive Disorders

    Louisiana Association of

    Drug Court

    Professionals

    Best

    Practices

  • 8/22/2019 LADCP Best Practices

    2/20

  • 8/22/2019 LADCP Best Practices

    3/20

    L ouisiana A ssociation of

    D rug C ourt Profess ionals 1101 S outheast Blvd. , Bay ou V ista, LA 70380Phone 985-399-5777 Fax 985-399-5778

    Open letter to members and otherDrug Court Professionals

    The principals and practices set forth in this document build upon the minimum standardsas set forth in the Louisiana Supreme Court Drug Court Offices drug court policy andprocedures manual.

    Louisiana drug courts and LADCP have been on the cutting edge of drug court practicesince our journey began in 1996. Again, we break new ground by publishing a set oftreatment best practices each developed by a statewide task force. In keeping with theprincipals of other leading organizations in this field, we intend these best practices to serveas a model for drug court practice in the state of Louisiana.

    We recognize that different strategies and practices are required with various client groupsas well that various resources are available based on the jurisdiction in which any particulardrug court is operating.

    This document is only a road mark in the dynamically changing drug court movement.What we have defined here as best practices will grow and change just as the entire drugcourt field in the state of Louisiana.

    j||t WA [xWilliam D. Hunter, President

    1

  • 8/22/2019 LADCP Best Practices

    4/20

    Table of Contents

    Introduction by the President 1

    Acknowledgements for Best Practices 3

    Adult Drug Treatment Court Best Practices 4

    Definitions (Adult Best Practices) 9

    Juvenile Drug Treatment Court Best Practices 10

    Definitions (Juvenile Best Practices) 16

    2

  • 8/22/2019 LADCP Best Practices

    5/20

    Louisiana Adult Drug TreatmentCourt Best Practices

    The association would like to recognize the efforts of the following individuals who served

    on the development committee for the best practices series. Committee members gavetheir time and attention to this task, receiving no compensation.

    Dr. Joseph Bowie Don Clausen Lars Levy

    James Bouleware David Wyman Dawn Palermo

    Nancy Bushnell Bill Cheetwood Sandy Record

    Paul Cassidy Mike Vidallier

    Louisiana Juvenile Drug TreatmentCourt Best Practices

    Carolyn Ashley Sandy Record Lars Levy

    Chris Bailey Rob Carlistle Dawn Palermo

    Sonya Barbier Martin Dykes Cathy Phlipsen

    Cary Heck Ryan Verrette Lance Wallace

    3

  • 8/22/2019 LADCP Best Practices

    6/20

    LOUISIANA ADULT DRUG TREATMENT COURT BEST PRACTICES

    The following standards are based on the 10 Key Components as developed and published by the U.S.Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs. They are modified for use within the Louisiana systemwith the goal to coordinate treatment delivery with judicial oversight. The Standards are designed toprovide the orientation toward treatment and judicial supervision so as to distinguish treatment-based,multi-discipline, full-service drug courts from other programs.

    PURPOSE: The drug court mission is to reduce offender abuse and/or addiction of alcohol and othermood-altering chemicals, thus decreasing related criminal activity. Drug courts promote recovery througha coordinated response to offenders dependent on alcohol and other drugs. Utilization of a teamapproach is required, including cooperation and collaboration of judges, prosecutors, defense counsel,probation authorities, law enforcement, service providers, and evaluators. Drug courts employ a multi-phased treatment process, generally divided into a stabilization phase, an intensive treatment phase, anda transition phase.

    I. PRACTICE: Drug Courts integrate alcohol and other drug treatment services withjustice system case processing.

    A. Drug Court Team shall develop and delineate written policy and procedure, reflecting sharedgoals and objectives for a drug court treatment program.

    II. PRACTICE: Each Drug Treatment Court Provider will have a separate CollaborativeAgreement between the Office of Alcohol and Drug Abuse, the District Attorneys Officeand the Public Defenders Office, the Probation Department, and the Judge.

    A. The Collaborative Agreement will be pursuant to La. R.S. 13:5301-5304, utilizing the stan-dardized OADA Collaborative Agreement form.

    III. PRACTICE: Eligible participants are identified early and promptly placed in the drugcourt program.

    A. Eligibility screening is based on established written criteria and pursuant to La. R.S. l3:5301-5304.

    B. Screening is done initially by the District Attorney or his/her staff, knowledgeable in DrugCourt Treatment screening criteria.

    C. Criteria for admission:

    1. Individual is charged with a violation of a statute of this state relating to the use andpossession of any narcotic drugs, coca leaves, marijuana, depressants, or hallucinogenic

    drugs or where there is a significant relationship between the use of alcohol or drugs,or both.

    2. The District Attorney has reason to believe that the individual who is charged suffersfrom alcohol or drug addiction.

    3. The best interest of the community and the interest of justice would be best served byproviding the individual with treatment as opposed to incarceration or other sanctions.

    4

  • 8/22/2019 LADCP Best Practices

    7/20

    D. Initial appearance before the drug court judge should occur within 30 days of arrest.

    E. Once accepted by the drug court judge, the individual must report to treatment within 24hours.

    F. An approved Consent Form must be completed to provide communication about participationprogress in treatment and compliance with the provisions of 42 CFR, Part 2 and La. R.S.l3:5301.

    G. Assessment for placement in the treatment program shall be performed by certified, profes-sional or licensed alcohol and drug professionals.

    H. Assessment by treatment providers shall be completed on a timely basis.

    I. Once admitted to a treatment providers program, all OADA Standards for intensive outpa-tient programming are applied.

    IV. PRACTICE: Drug Courts provide access to a continuum of alcohol, drug, and other re-lated treatment and rehabilitation services. Treatment services shall be licensed by

    OADA and in accordance with La. R.S. l3:5301-5304.

    A. Staffing requirements/qualifications and treatment components utilized shall be consistentwith/and adhere to the OADA Standards for Treatment Service. Drug Court Treatment is astructured therapeutic program. It is an organized service with credentialed personnel thatprovides a planned regimen of treatment consisting of a minimum of three (3) days per weekand a minimum of nine (9) skilled treatment hours (skilled treatment hours include individualand/or group therapy and therapeutic educational sessions) per week during Phase I. Addi-tionally, Phase I should continue for a minimum of two (2) to four (4) months. A minimum oftwo (2) days per week and a minimum of four (4) skilled treatment hours per week in PhaseII. Phase II should continue for a minimum of four (4) to six (6) months. A minimum of two(2) skilled treatment hours per week in Phase III. Phase III should continue for a period ofthree (3) to six (6) months after which the Drug Court Client should be completed/graduated.The program typically provides at least two skilled treatment services per day in addition torequired attendance at self-help support group meetings. Services may be provided in day orevening programming. Treatment Components include: detoxification, inpatient, halfwayhouse, three-quarter way house, outpatient, and intensive outpatient.

    Advocacy Activities - including, but not limited to, vocational, financial, family, resocialization,recreational, follow-up care, and literacy training;

    Case Management - including, but not limited to, referrals for continuing education, housing,job placement.

    Counseling - by a credentialed counselor, addressing goals and objectives as identified in theassessment and developed in the treatment/recovery plan.

    Drug Screening Urinalysis - by a qualified lab

    Educational Groups Topics may include HIV and sexually transmitted diseases, chemicaldependency, group dynamics (defense mechanisms, rescuing, terminology), living/copingskills, feelings, Twelve Step, grief process, spirituality, relapse prevention; problem solving, de-

    5

  • 8/22/2019 LADCP Best Practices

    8/20

    cision making, communication, stress management, parenting education and skills, nutrition,leisure activities, assertiveness training, family dynamics/roles, cross tolerance.

    Family Program - Family members and significant others will receive education and/or therapyregarding the disease of chemical dependency, family roles in the dysfunctional family and in-troduction to Twelve Step groups or other self help groups.

    V. PRACTICE : Abstinence is monitored by frequent alcohol and other drug testing.

    A. AOD testing policies and procedures are based on guidelines established by the Office of Alco-hol and Drug Abuse.

    B. Testing may be administered randomly and at scheduled intervals, but occurs no less thantwice a week during Phase I and Phase II of an individuals enrollment. Frequency thereafterwill vary depending on participant progress; however, Phase III will include a minimum ofweekly testing.

    C. The scope of testing shall be sufficiently broad to detect the participants primary drug ofchoice, as well as other potential drugs of abuse, including alcohol. The court is to have

    breathalyzer capability/accessibility.

    D. Each Court shall have written policies and procedures for urine sample collection, sampleanalysis, and result reporting. These shall follow the guidelines established by the OADA.

    E. Test results are available and communicated to the court and the participant within oneworking day. The court is notified immediately when a participant tests positive, has failed tosubmit to AOD testing, has submitted the sample of another, or has adulterated a sample.

    VI. PRACTICE: A coordinated strategy governs drug court responses to participantscompliance.

    A. Recovery from addiction is a process facilitated through therapeutic strategies aimed atpreventing AOD use by teaching participants to manage their ambivalence toward recovery,identify high-risk situations, and develop necessary coping skills to deal with high-risk situa-tions, and maintain sobriety for increasing lengths of time. Plans for addressing participantswho test positive at intake and for relapses in the future must be clearly established with out-lined treatment guidelines, enforced and reinforced, by the judge. Graduated sanctions are tobe in place. A coordinated strategy, including a continuum of graduated responses for noncompliant behavior, must be written and available for participants review prior to committingto treatment.

    1. Procedures for reporting are clearly defined in the drug courts operating procedure. There

    will be weekly case review/staffing with representatives from all disciplines of the drugcourt team present.

    2. Responses to compliance and noncompliance are explained verbally and provided in writ-ing to participants before their orientation. Periodic reminders will be provided throughoutthe treatment process.

    3. Responses for compliance or noncompliance will be graduated and consistent with the in-fraction or accomplishment.

    6

  • 8/22/2019 LADCP Best Practices

    9/20

    4. Responses for compliance vary in intensity and may include:

    a. Encouragement and praise from the bench;b. Ceremonies and tokens of progress, including advancement to the next treatment

    phase;c. Reduced supervision;

    d. Decreased frequency of court appearances;e. Reduced fines or fees;f. Dismissal of criminal charges or reduction in the term of probation;g. Reduced or suspended incarceration; andh. Graduation.

    5. Responses to or sanctions for noncompliance might include:

    a. Warnings and admonishment from the bench in open court;b. Demotion to earlier program phases;c. Increased frequency of testing and court appearances;

    d. Confinement in the courtroom or jury box;e. Increased monitoring and/or treatment intensity;f. Fines;g. Required community service or work programs;h. Escalating periods of jail confinement (drug court participants remanded to jail

    should receive AOD treatment services while confined); andi. Termination from the program and reinstatement of regular court processing.

    6. Payment of fees, fines, and restitution is part of treatment. Fee schedules arecommensurate with an individuals ability to pay.

    VII. PRACTICE: Ongoing judicial interaction with each drug court participant is essential.

    A. The judge is the leader of the drug court team, linking participants to treatment and thecriminal justice system. The structure of the drug court demands early and frequentjudicial intervention in treatment. Frequent status hearings provide the vehicle for theongoing judicial involvement, allowing the judge to impose appropriate sanctions andrewards commensurate with treatment progress as defined in Standard VI. The drug courtjudge is knowledgeable about treatment methods and their limitations. It is important thathearings be under the same judge for the length of participants one-year treatment.Regular status hearings are used to monitor participants performance.

    B. Weekly status hearings are to be held during the stabilization phase (Phase I); bi-weekly

    status hearings are to be held during the intensive treatment phase (Phase II) and;monthly hearings during the transition phase (Phase III).

    C. Time between status hearings may be increased or decreased, based on compliance withtreatment protocols and progress observed.

    D. The court applies incentives and sanctions to match treatment progress as defined inPractice VI.

    7

  • 8/22/2019 LADCP Best Practices

    10/20

    E. The court supervises payment of fees, fines, and/or restitution.

    VIII. PRACTICE: Monitoring and evaluation measure the achievement of program goals andgauge effectiveness.

    A. The goals of the program are to be described concretely and in measurable terms.

    B. An evaluation mechanism is to be designed prior to program implementation.

    C. A qualified independent evaluator responsible for developing and conducting an evaluationdesign and for preparing interim and final reports should be selected.

    D. Ongoing evaluation and monitoring is required to measure progress in meeting operationaland administrative goals, effectiveness of treatment, and outcome toward meeting long-term goals of crime-free and drug-free participants.

    E. Specific and measurable goals define the parameters of data collection and informationmanagement.

    F. At least six months after exiting a drug court program, follow-up evaluations shall becompleted to determine the long-term effects of the program. Additional follow-upevaluations shall be completed annually for two years.

    G. Information systems must adhere to written policies, consistent with State and Federalguidelines, that protect against unauthorized disclosure.

    IX. PRACTICE: Continuing interdisciplinary education promotes effective drug courtplanning, implementation, and operations.

    A. Operating procedures shall define minimum basic educational requirements andrequirements for continuing education, consistent with State certification and licensurerequirements.

    B. Attendance at drug court specific education and training sessions by all drug courtpersonnel is essential. This is to be described and delineated in the established educationsyllabus. A minimum of 12 hours annually is mandatory.

    C. An education syllabus and curriculum describing the drug courts goals, policies, andprocedures is to be developed. Topics may include: Goals and philosophy of drug courts;nature of AOD abuse, its treatment and terminology; dynamics of abstinence andtechniques for preventing relapse; responses to relapse and to noncompliance with other

    program requirements; drug testing standards and procedures; Federal and Stateconfidentiality requirements.

    X. PRACTICE: Document partnerships among drug courts, public agencies, and community-based organizations to generate local support and enhance drug court program effectiveness.

    The drug court is a partnership among organizations--public, private, and community-baseddedicated to a coordinated and cooperative approach to the AOD offender.

    8

  • 8/22/2019 LADCP Best Practices

    11/20

    DEFINITIONS

    Alcohol and drug abuse program program licensed by the State of Louisiana to provide education, pre-vention and treatment directed toward achieving the mental and physical restoration of alcohol and drugabusers or addicts.

    Treatment Program any governmental agency or other entity, licensed by the State of Louisiana to pro-vide substance abuse or addiction treatment on a residential or outpatient basis. Treatment programsshall be certified and approved by the State of Louisiana, and adhere to the standards of practice as es-tablished by the Office of Alcohol and Drug Abuse.

    Monitoring ongoing or periodic observation of program operations to ensure that the program stays oncourse and that the operational procedures are revised as needed.

    Evaluation involves periodic observation of operations, but focuses primarily on assessment of aprograms effectiveness in achieving its goals.

    Treatment Services

    1. Inpatient service Structured program for clients requiring 24 hour supervision. This may includeresidential setting, hospital, transitional living settings, or detoxification programs.

    2. Outpatient servicean organized continuing care service that provides a planned regimen of treatmentconsisting of regularly scheduled therapeutic sessions.

    Intensive Outpatient Serviceincludes a minimum of nine (9) treatment hours, in day and/or evening ses-sions, delivered in three (3) or more days per week.

    9

  • 8/22/2019 LADCP Best Practices

    12/20

    LOUISIANA JUVENILE DRUG TREATMENT COURT STANDARDS

    Best Practice I: Planning a Juvenile Drug Court

    Drug Courts integrate alcohol and other drug treatment services with justice system caseprocessing.

    A. The planning team should include:

    1. Drug Court Judge2. District Attorney or Representative from District Attorneys Office3. Public Defender4. School Representative5. Social Services Representative6. Law Enforcement Representative7. Local Treatment Providers Representative8. Representative from Probation/Parole Department9. Evaluator10. Other Community-Based Stakeholders

    B. The purpose of the planning team is to:

    1. Assess the scope and intensity of the programs activities.2. Develop written policy and procedure which includes a mission statement, program goals

    and objectives as well as indicators outlining program success.a. The goals and objectives will be measurable and provide accountability for the

    various stakeholders and policy-makersb. Identify a target populationc. Determine the services that will need to be provided (including ancillary services

    for youth and their families)

    d. Project the potential impact of the program on other community resources.

    C. Develop a cooperative agreement and/or memorandum of understanding to be implementedbetween members of the drug court planning team and other community resources.

    Issues for Consideration:

    A. The planning team is to include state, parish, local, and community-based stakeholders who canprovide support for program implementation and successful program management.

    B. Comprehensive, interdisciplinary planning is critical for identifying and securing the communityresources and partnerships that can provide ongoing support for the program.

    1

  • 8/22/2019 LADCP Best Practices

    13/20

    C. A consensus is to be reached on the following areas during the planning process:

    1. Target Population2. Judicial Supervision3. Screening and Referral Process4. Treatment Approach and Interventions5. Drug Testing Procedures6. Case Management/Monitoring7. Criteria and application of Graduated Incentives and Sanctions8. Graduation/Termination Criteria9. Evaluation and Follow-up Procedures

    Best Practice II: Interdisciplinary Team Requirements

    An interdisciplinary team will be established as a Juvenile Drug Court Team.

    A. The Juvenile Drug Court Team will consist of a minimum of the members listed below. While it isrecognized that in some instances members may fulfill dual roles, it is imperative thatrepresentatives be identified to fulfill the following duties:

    1. Designated Drug Court Judge2. District Attorney/Prosecutor3. Public Defender/Defense Attorney4. Drug Court Coordinator5. Representative(s) from Treatment Provider(s)6. Case Manager7. Probation Officer/Compliance Officer

    B. The team will meet prior to each drug court hearing to discuss issues and to achieve consensus onclient responses and progress.

    Issues to Consider:

    A. Beyond the minimum team members listed above, an extended drug court team may include:

    1. Law Enforcement Personnel/Detail Officer2. School Representative3. Mental Health providers (Psychiatrist, Social Worker, Psychologist)4. Neighborhood and Business Leaders5. Faith-Based Leaders6. Evaluator

    B. The judge is the key leader for the juvenile drug court program. The judge oversees not only thejuveniles performance and that of his/her family, but also the coordination and delivery oftreatment and other core services. The decision-making process is collegial, drawing on theperspectives and expertise of all members of the drug court team.

    C. Team meetings outside of status staffing are important and necessary (example: team retreats,policy team meetings).

    1

  • 8/22/2019 LADCP Best Practices

    14/20

    Best Practice III: Target Population and Eligibility Criteria

    Criteria for Eligibility, Suitability, and Feasibility must be established, written and clearly defined.

    A. Criteria for eligibility, including age range, mental health status, and types of offenses committedwill be established.

    B. Clients with offenses prohibited by La. R.S.13:5301-5304 will not be accepted.

    C. The acceptable age range, within 12 years of age and 17 years of age at time of entry into the ju-venile system, is defined by the established criteria of individual juvenile drug courts .

    D. Careful consideration shall be given to those offenses of intent to distribute to ensure a substanceabuse problem exists.

    Issues to Consider:

    A. Admission of a qualified offender is to be in the best interest of the program and/or the potential

    participant.

    B. Transportation ability of the client/family to attend all required services should be considered inscreening process.

    Best Practice IV: Developmentally Appropriate Treatment Services

    Juvenile Drug Court Treatment Services are to be developmentally appropriate and tailoredto meet the needs of adolescents.

    A. All facilities rendering drug court treatment services are to be licensed by the Department ofHealth and Hospitals, Bureau of Health Standards, according to the Minimum Licensure Standardsfor Substance Abuse/Addiction Treatment Facilities (La. R.S. 40:1058.2).

    B. Individual providers rendering treatment services will be in good standing with their respectiveboards for licensure/certification.

    C. Each individual admitted to drug court will have a comprehensive assessment. The assessment willinclude substance use, medical, psychological, and social information. Additional issues to beaddressed may include gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, special educational/vocational needs,cultural and geographic issues.

    D. An individualized treatment plan will be developed within 14 days of admission to the program. Itis to be comprehensive and address the unique service needs of the juvenile and include ancillaryservices identified as needed. The treatment plan is to be reviewed/updated periodically asneeded to meet the needs of the juvenile but, at a minimum, at each phase change.

    E. The number of services provided will be defined by phases within the established Policy andProcedure Manual of each individual program. The initial treatment phase does require aminimum offive (5)therapeutic hours per week. Treatment service hours may graduallydecrease as the client progresses, but are to be based on the needs of the client and reflected in

    1

  • 8/22/2019 LADCP Best Practices

    15/20

    the treatment plan.

    F. Provision of treatment services will be based on individuals need with successful completionrequiring a minimum of nine (9) months.

    G. Family involvement will be included in all juvenile drug court programs. Family may be definedbeyond the traditional family and may include grandparents, a non-relational guardian, aunt (s)/uncle(s), godparent(s), etc.

    H. The strengths-based perspective should be applied to all aspects of the program.

    Issues to Consider:

    A. The family should be treated as a unit with equal access to all services, including ancillary services(example: substance abuse treatment, recreation activities, vocation counseling services, etc.).

    Best Practice V: Drug Testing

    Drug testing is required as a component of drug court.

    A. Drug testing procedures are to be in compliance with all state and local legislation regarding drugtesting. Drug testing is to be administered randomly and frequently enough to identify new orcontinuous use.

    B. A full-panel drug test is to be taken as part of the screening process for determination of abaseline of drug presence.

    C. In the initial phase, clients will be drug screened a minimum of two (2) times per week.

    D. Appropriate gender-specific drug court personnel will supervise urine collection.

    Issues to Consider:

    A. Family members may be tested as necessary to ensure an environment conducive to sobriety.

    B. Policies for positive drug screens of family members need to be established prior to testing familymembers.

    C. Suggested random drug testing methods include: color-code system, drawings, code system, etc.

    Best Practice VI: Status Hearings

    Frequent status hearings establish and reinforce the drug courts policy and ensure effectivesupervision of each drug court participant.

    A. The frequency of status hearings is determined by the established program requirements andbased on individual client needs.

    B. In the initial phase of treatment each client will have weekly court status hearings. At no time willthe time between status hearings exceed one month.

    1

  • 8/22/2019 LADCP Best Practices

    16/20

    C. Juvenile Drug Court dockets will be separate from any other court proceedings.

    D. A designated family member/guardian will accompany the client to each status hearing unless thejuvenile drug court judge grants prior authorization.

    Issues to Consider:

    A. Drug Court Hearings will be open to all Drug Court participants appearing for court on a particularday. Requests for closed hearings may be granted under special circumstances.

    B. The use of a courtroom theater to enhance the degree of success through peer pressure must bebalanced with the maturity of the child and the sensitivity of the issues to be discussed.

    Best Practice VII: Confidentiality Issues

    Confidentiality issues must be in accordance with all federal and state guidelines.

    A. The confidentiality policy shall protect the privacy of the minor in accordance with 42 CFR Part 2

    and La. R.S. 46:1923.

    Issues to Consider:

    A. Any additional non-traditional team members must sign confidentiality agreements according to 42CFR and La. R.S. 46:1923.

    B. All team members share in the responsibility to maintain confidentiality in accordance with 42 CFRand La. R.S. 46:1923.

    Best Practice VIII: Participant Supervision

    Participant Supervision is a requirement for each drug court participant.

    A. Drug Court participants will be supervised for compliance with drug court requirements bydesignated personnel at least two times per week for initial phase. (Examples of such personnelmay include a probation officer, court compliance officer, case manager, and/or designated policeliaison.)

    B. Compliance/Noncompliance will be reported to the drug court team weekly.

    Issues to Consider:

    A. Suggested areas of supervision include:

    1. School attendance/performance2. Curfew3. Employment

    B. A service plan encompasses all additional services needed for an individual participant and may bedeveloped in conjunction with the treatment plan.

    1

  • 8/22/2019 LADCP Best Practices

    17/20

    C. Clients will be supervised for the duration of the Juvenile Drug Court Program.

    D. The drug court team should determine the frequency of supervision and decreased supervisionshould be based on the participants compliance.

    Best Practice IX: Quality Assurance and Program Evaluation

    Each court must participate in three types of evaluation: process evaluations, outputevaluations, and outcome evaluations.

    A. Process evaluations will be conducted bi-annually to determine if the operational goals of the courtare being met.

    B. Output evaluations will be submitted monthly to the Louisiana Supreme Court Drug Court Officeaccording to the requirement of participation in the drug court management information system.

    C. All drug courts will participate in outcome evaluations as mandated by the Louisiana SupremeCourt Drug Court Office.

    Issues to Consider:

    A. Process evaluations will focus on the following components:

    1. Target population2. Screening and assessment3. Case management4. Program length5. Treatment types and resources6. Sanctions and incentives7. Expulsion and graduation criteria8. Team coordination9. Implementation

    B. Output evaluations focus on the following programmatic components:

    1. Number of clients served2. Previous substance abuse among clients3. Phase completion4. Overall program completion5. Completion of other court requirements6. Reasons for expulsions

    C. Outcome evaluations focus upon the following components:

    1. Program completion rates2. Types of treatment provided3. Ongoing measures of success

    a. School participation/employmentb. Family statusc. Maintenance of mood-altering substance-free lifestyle

    1

  • 8/22/2019 LADCP Best Practices

    18/20

    4. Recidivism5. Cost-benefit analysis

    Best Practice X: Training and Continuing Education

    Drug Court staff must receive appropriate drug court trainings and/or continuing education.

    A. Professional staff must receive continuing education necessary for renewal of their professionallicenses or certification.

    B. Initial and ongoing training will include, but not limited to, adolescent development, legal process,treatment techniques, policy and procedure of the drug court program, disease process, culturalcompetency, monitoring and evaluation, safety issues, confidentiality and quality assurance.

    C. Professional staff should be members of the Louisiana Association of Drug Court Professionals andattend LADCP sponsored conference and trainings.

    Issues to Consider:

    A. Continuing education should also include:1. Concept of interdisciplinary drug court team and the need for team building

    2. Specific training needs of the individual disciplines within the drug court team.3. Need for cross training among team members.

    Definitions1) Evaluations:

    a) Process Evaluations-measure efficiency in the operation of each individual court and can be usedto fine-tune those operations.

    b) Output evaluations are centered on the actual numbers and measure the short-term efficacy ofeach drug court.

    c) Outcome evaluations: focus on the long-term effects of drug court on the clients themselves.This type of evaluation allows policy makers to determine both the implicit and explicit cost savingsfor the drug court program.

    2) Random drug screens: testing on a non-scheduled interval with clients having no ability to learn ofthe scheduling procedure

    3) Screening: the process by which a client is deemed appropriate and eligible to the program.

    4) Assessment: the procedures by which a counselor/program identifies and evaluates an individuals and

    families strengths, weaknesses, problems and needs for the development of the treatment plan

    5) Therapeutic hour: skilled treatment hour.

    1

  • 8/22/2019 LADCP Best Practices

    19/20

  • 8/22/2019 LADCP Best Practices

    20/20

    Louisiana Association of Drug Court Professionals1101 Southeast Boulevard

    Bayou Vista, Louisiana 70380Ph: 985-399-5777 Fax: 985-399-5778

    First Edition February 2003


Recommended