Change Court coordinator briefs Cincinnati City Council committee on specialized program for women charged with prostitution-related offenses

Jessica Hines, Change Court coordinator, told the Cincinnati City Council Youth and Human Services Committee on Monday that Change Court is a Supreme Court‑certified specialty docket in Hamilton County that combines court supervision with intensive treatment and wraparound supports for women charged with prostitution‑related offenses.

The program, Hines said, addresses co‑occurring substance use and mental‑health needs alongside prostitution and solicitation charges. "It is trauma informed and victim centered," she said, adding that many participants are victims of exploitation, coercion and trauma rather than solely offenders. Hines traced Change Court’s origin to Judge Heather Russell and said the specialty docket began in February 2014.

Hines described an intensive schedule for participants: an initial residential treatment phase of about 30 days, multiple weekly group sessions and outpatient programming, frequent supervised urine screens, probation check‑ins, and weekly court check‑ins that can run three to four hours. She said the program can last 18 to 24 months depending on individual needs and that it aims to connect participants with housing, employment, medical and legal aid to support family reunification and long‑term stability.

"When people get the help they need, they’re held to clear expectations; they are far less likely to reoffend," Hines said, summarizing the court’s goals. She reported a program success rate of about 30 percent measured by non‑rearrest, which she said is comparable to drug court and other trafficking specialty dockets nationwide.

Committee members asked about participants’ ages and partner services. Hines said ages range from the low‑20s into the late 50s or about 60, and that residential partners include Crossroads, an Engagement Center, Transitions, a site the transcript identifies as "cat house," First Step Home and the program "Off the Streets," which Hines said participants occupy until permanent housing is secured. She stressed that referrals come from a task force and from magistrates, judges and attorneys using pretrial screening tools; a pretrial question about exchanging sex for money or drugs can trigger a Change Court referral.

Hines said Change Court can serve up to 40 participants and currently has 22 enrolled; she reported 13 participants "here physically" and the transcript alternately cited 7 and 9 participants "on a run," a detail that was not clarified in the meeting. Hines said the program tracks key performance indicators and maintains a capacity‑based enrollment model.

Vice Mayor Jan Michelle Lisonbee Kearney asked how Change Court differs from drug court; Hines responded that Change Court is co‑occurring and specifically treats prostitution‑related charges alongside substance‑use and mental‑health treatment, and that past histories of prostitution can qualify someone for Change Court during pretrial screening.

Council member Ryan James asked about the city’s continuum of care and connections to other services; Hines recommended reentry services as a compatible partner to help participants transition out of residential treatment.

Hines said the next Change Court graduation is scheduled for June 24 and that she will circulate details to the committee. The Youth and Human Services Committee took no formal action on the presentation and adjourned after the discussion.