Florida's Future with Treatment-Based Drug Courts

Florida Courts Online
Sept. 24 1999

The Office of the State Courts Administrator within the Florida Supreme Court successfully received continuation funding from the State Justice Institute so that a formal evaluation study of two treatment-based drug courts in the First Judicial Circuit (Escambia and Okaloosa Counties) could be conducted. In addition, a technical assistance grant has been completed in the Escambia County to support the development of the first recognized juvenile drug court in the nation.

Also, the OSCA is developing an advance drug court curriculum that will assist states interested in developing drug courts or enhancing their existing drug courts. The curriculum will offer state officials advanced training materials for drug court teams. Once the full curriculum is developed, pilot workshops will be held to test the program. Then, the curriculum and supporting instructional materials will be made available to each state.

Effective July 1, 1995, Florida set another first in the area of treatment-based drug courts. The OSCA received Edward Byrne formula grant funds for a statewide initiative to demonstrate the effectiveness of the drug court coordinator position in four (4) judicial circuits. These positions will oversee and expand the operational capacity of the drug courts in the First, Fourth, Tenth, and Thirteenth Judicial Circuits. These circuits will also test innovative programs associated with treatment-based drug courts such as juvenile drug courts, special programs for pregnant women, links with domestic violence proceedings, and the development of a court-supervised treatment service. Moreover, the OSCA will conduct semi-annual meetings/training symposiums for the four circuits, as well as other circuits in Florida involved in the treatment-based drug court concept.

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