Drug Courts and Opioid Use Disorders: How to Achieve Success with this Challenging Population

• In Event: Roundtable: Problem Solving Courts: Implications for More Challenging Criminal Justice Involved Populations

Abstract

Drug courts have traditionally included participants who require treatment for any variety of substances, both legal and illegal. Though some research has found that drug court outcomes vary according to drug type, it has not been a major consideration for eligibility or programming. However, as more opioid-dependent individuals have entered drug courts due to the opioid crisis, there has been more awareness of these participants’ unique risk factors including a high prevalence of overdose. Indeed, although treatment courts are well-positioned to address high-risk and high-need individuals with opioid use disorders (OUDs), it has been suggested that people with OUDs may expect fewer benefits from drug court. Accordingly, modifications to the drug court model in an effort to improve outcomes for OUD participants have included rapid assessment and treatment engagement, MAT and MOUD and frequent judicial monitoring. This discussion will focus on how drug courts have worked to achieve success with this extremely challenging population.

Authors

• Kimberly Houser, Rowan University

• Matthew Hiller, Temple University

• Christine Saum, Rowan University