The Pretrial Services Agency for the District of Columbia (PSA) is committed to accurately assessing the extent of defendants’ drug involvement and providing or facilitating treatment as appropriate. Ensuring that defendants appear for scheduled court hearings is central to PSA’s mission. The connection between substance use disorders and crime is well established. Success in reducing rearrest rates and failure to appear for court depends on two key factors – identifying and treating drug use and establishing swift and certain consequences for continued drug use. Drug use is often a sign of a disorganized lifestyle, with disorganization frequently cited as the primary reason for failures to appear. Sanction-based treatment is one of the most effective tools for breaking the cycle of substance use disorders and crime. PSA provides the following treatment and related services:
Assessing Need
Defendants under pretrial release are assessed for substance use disorders and/or mental health needs, and are connected with employment, housing, and/or other social services through PSA’s Social Services and Assessment Team (SSAT). The SSAT conducts comprehensive mental health and substance use disorder treatment assessments for defendants. While generally approximately half of those assessed as needing treatment are placed in treatment, many are not due to case dismissal, lack of treatment from the judicial officer, or the defendant’s refusal of treatment. The SSAT also serves as PSA’s repository for information on community resources and acts as the primary broker in connecting defendants to a range of social services, including medical, employment, and education.
Drug Court
Drug Court is a voluntary substance use disorder treatment and supervision program for eligible defendants with non-violent misdemeanor and felony offenses. It is available to misdemeanants as a diversion program, to other misdemeanor-charged defendants after a finding of guilt or guilty plea, and felony-charged defendants as a pretrial or post-trial pre-sentencing release option. Eligible felony-charged defendants may be offered amended sentencing agreements pending their felony charges to result in a misdemeanor conviction following successful completion of Drug Court. Felony-charged defendants who are not offered amended sentencing agreements are likely to receive probation instead of incarceration.
Drug Court is a collaborative effort among the DC Superior Court, the United States Attorney‘s Office (USAO), the Office of Attorney General (OAG), the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia (PDS), the defendant, the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA), and PSA. Misdemeanor diversion defendants participating in Drug Court must be approved for participation by the USAO or OAG. Although the USAO, OAG, and the Court determine eligibility, participation in the Drug Court program is voluntary and ultimately it is up to the defendant to decide whether to take advantage of this release option.
Upon successful completion of the Drug Court program for those charged with certain felony offenses, the chances of a defendant receiving probation are greatly enhanced, although the actual sentence remains at the sole discretion of the court.
Sanction-Based Treatment Contracting
Our Sanction Based Treatment is available for defendants who do not meet the eligibility criteria for Drug Court. Defendants can be placed in this treatment program voluntarily or by order of the judicial officer.
Mental Health Services
Defendants under pretrial release are assessed for substance use disorders and/or mental health needs and connected with treatment and social services through PSA’s Social Services and Assessment Team (SSAT). The SSAT is a comprehensive mental health and substance abuse treatment assessment center for defendants. The SSAT also makes referrals for employment, housing, and other social services.
Because substance involvement often coexists with mental health problems, an effective substance use disorder treatment program must also treat those with co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders. The Specialized Supervision Unit (SSU) provides specialized services and supervision to defendants with mental illness and/or co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders.
The Specialized Supervision Team (SST) is operated by PSA‘s Treatment Program and provides critical support for the D.C. Superior Court‘s Mental Health Community Court.
Substance Use Disorder Treatment
The connection between substance use disorders and crime has been well established. Success in reducing rearrest and failure to appear for court depends on two key factors – identifying and treating drug use and establishing swift and certain consequences for continued drug use. Drug use is often an indicator of a disorganized lifestyle, and disorganization is the most frequently cited reason for failures to appear. Assuring that defendants appear for scheduled court hearings is central to PSA’s mission. Sanction-based treatment is one of the most effective tools for breaking the cycle of substance use disorders and crime.
PSA case managers supervise defendants and monitor compliance with treatment, arrange for treatment placements, oversee progress in treatment, review drug testing schedules, keep the court, prosecution and defense apprised of compliance, and provide incentives and sanctions as warranted.
Prior to placement in any drug treatment program, defendants under pretrial release are assessed for substance use disorder and/or mental health needs, and connected with employment, housing, and/or other social services through PSA’s SSAT.