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Judges, sheriff and county back revival of adult drug treatment court and preliminary family treatment court plan
Summary
Judges and county staff won commissioner approval to apply for a $950,000 Bureau of Justice Administration grant to restart an adult drug treatment court and to submit a preliminary Family Treatment Court application to the state criminal justice commission.
Benton County judges and justice partners briefed commissioners on Feb. 18 about efforts to reinstate an adult drug treatment court (ADTC) and to launch a Family Treatment Court (FTC).
Adult drug treatment court: Judge Demarest (new ADTC judge) and county staff requested board approval to apply for a Bureau of Justice Administration planning and implementation grant for ADTC, a multi‑year award that requires a 25% match. The board approved submission of an application seeking $950,000 to support planning and implementation.
Background and strategy: County leaders recounted why the county suspended its ADTC program in 2023 — the program lacked resources and treatment capacity to meet treatment‑court best‑practice fidelity (separate gender tracks, segregated risk levels, and specialized treatment services). Presenters said they have since worked to identify treatment providers with the necessary experience and to rebuild a policy committee, and they have incorporated feedback from the BJA on last year’s application to strengthen the new submission.
Family Treatment Court preliminary application: Judge Donahue and partners outlined the FTC model — a dependency‑court program focused on parents with substance‑use disorders whose children are in Oregon Department of Human Services custody. The board approved a preliminary application to the Criminal Justice Commission (CJC) for FTC funding; the preliminary application is due March 20 and the final application deadline is July 1, 2025. The county noted DHS startup funds are available for FTCs and that additional CJC sustainability funds may follow.
Operations, partners and contingencies: Both judges described the role of treatment providers, the policy committee, defense counsel, probation and DHS. Presenters said they plan to contract with experienced treatment providers (some operate in neighboring counties) and aim to preserve program fidelity. County staff said grant management would be administered by the county and that if a BJA award is delayed or not awarded, other state grant options (CJC implementation/sustainability grants) or locally provided solutions would be pursued.
Ending: Commissioners asked about previous reasons for program suspension, participant volume and housing needs; judges and partners said they have identified prospective providers and emphasized that housing supports are critical to participant success. The board approved both the ADTC grant application and the FTC preliminary application.
