Recipients will be expected to provide a coordinated, multi-system approach designed to combine the sanctioning power of treatment drug courts with effective SUD treatment services to break the cycle of criminal behavior, alcohol and/or drug use, and incarceration or other penalties. Applicants should propose to increase access and availability of services to a larger number of clients increasing the number of individuals served and the gaps in the continuum of treatment for individuals in these courts who have treatment needs for SUD and/or co-occurring substance use and mental disorders. Grant funds must be used to serve people diagnosed with a SUD as their primary condition. SAMHSA will use discretion in allocating funding for these awards, taking into consideration the specific drug court model (ATDCs and Adult Tribal Healing to Wellness Courts), as appropriate, the number of applications received per model type, and geographic distribution.

The term “drug court” is a specially designed court calendar or docket with the purpose of reducing recidivism and SUDs among substance-using offenders and increasing the likelihood of successful habilitation through early, continuous, and intense judicially supervised treatment, mandatory periodic drug testing, and the use of appropriate sanctions and other habilitation services. An “Adult Tribal Healing to Wellness Court” is more than a tribal court handling SUD cases. It is a component of the tribal justice system, which incorporates and adapts the wellness concept to meet the specific SUD needs of each tribal community. Adult Tribal Healing to Wellness Courts establish more structure and provide a higher level of accountability for these cases through a system of comprehensive supervision, drug testing, treatment services, immediate sanctions and incentives, team-based case management, and community support.