Beaverton's behavioral health court program became a priority in 2019 for the city of beaverton

The City of Beaverton, Oregon will receive $500,000 from the Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs Bureau of Justice Assistance under the Congressionally Recommended Awards program (CFDA 16.753) from September 1, 2022 to March 31, 2025. The funding will support the development and implementation of Beaverton's new Behavioral Health Court program to serve individuals with criminal cases in the municipal court who exhibit untreated behavioral health issues and are high utilizers of jail and emergency room services. Specifically, the grant funds will cover partial salary and benefits for the program coordinator, bring on two peer support specialists, and support ongoing training for team members and short-term housing costs for participants. The Behavioral Health Court aims to facilitate treatment and reduce recidivism among this high-risk population through intensive supervision and wraparound services including medication-assisted treatment.

In early 2020, the behavioral health court program became a reality and remains a high priority for the city of beaverton. Guidance and support are needed to develop and implement a program specific to the needs of both program participants and the court, while adhering to best practices and standards-based treatment court model. This proposal requests financial support to bring two peer support specialists on board with the BHC program; to cover 25% of the annual cost of the BHC program coordinator's salary and benefits; to support the ongoing training the BHC team members; and to aid with short term housing costs of BHC participants. The proposed behavioral health court will target defendants with criminal cases in the beaverton municipal court who are the top utilizers of jail and emergency room services living in the beaverton area. People benefitting from behavioral health court engagement will typically exhibit untreated behavioral health issues, high risk, addiction-based behavior and have multiple needs, such as homelessness, unemployment, behavioral health treatment, behavioral health medications, and substance abuse disorder treatment. The court's target population is not likely to engage in treatment services without intense intervention. Following a harm reduction model, the BHC program will focus on meeting clients where they are and wrapping services around them. Medication assistive treatment (mat) will be available to any participant where mat is clinically indicated. The program aligns with oregon's strategic direction to promote effective crisis intervention models and connections through law enforcement. Use of the different resources that funding from this grant provides, will facilitate collaboration and enhancing the competency of personnel working with individuals who have MI in the criminal justice system, including training in behavioral health and criminogenic risk and needs, case management, trauma-informed care, crisis response, and integrated treatment and supervision strategies. Additionally, the municipal court will be reaching out to any defendant in the court, exhibiting a need of behavioral health assistance. Following the SIM intercept model, our desire is to assist these individuals before they become a high utilizer of legal, jail or emergency room services.