The 18TH judicial district, gallatin county, montana, would like to implement a new felony driving under the influence (DUI) court to promote public safety and reduce impaired driving

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) awarded a $655,496 Project Grant under the Treatment Court Discretionary Grant Program (CFDA 16.585) to the Judiciary Courts of State of Montana, doing business as Supreme Courts of MT, to establish the Greater Gallatin Missouri Headwaters DUI Court. This program aims to provide eligible individuals with comprehensive evidence-based treatment, support, and behavioral responses to promote successful long-term recovery and increased public safety in Gallatin County and surrounding rural communities in Montana, which have been disproportionately impacted by high rates of impaired driving fatalities. The award will fund the implementation of this new felony DUI court over a 4-year period from October 2024 to September 2028.

In 2021, montana had the highest fatality rate in the united states due to impaired driving per mile traveled and the highest national percentage of traffic fatalities resulting from impaired driving (national highway traffic safety administration, 2023). Gallatin is an ideal location for a felony DUI court to reduce impaired driving and fatalities. Of the 56 counties in montana, gallatin had the fourth-highest number of impaired driving fatalities from 2010-2019, and 57% of fatalities in gallatin were due to impaired driving (montana department of transportation, 2021). The greater gallatin missouri headwaters DUI court will provide eligible individuals with comprehensive evidence-based treatment, support, and behavioral responses for successful long-term recovery and increased public safety. The greater gallatin missouri headwaters DUI court will serve eligible participants in surrounding rural communities without DUI courts through a hybrid teleservices model by building on montana's existing teleservices effort.