SF adult drug court expansion project - the SAN francisco county superior court seeks funding for the SF adult drug court expansion project

The Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration awarded $400,000 to the San Francisco County Superior Court on September 30, 2026, under the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment Projects of Regional and National Significance program (CFDA 93.490) to expand the San Francisco Adult Drug Court.

The award funds the addition of two full-time positions to extend court capacity and services to two underserved populations: justice-involved adults residing outside San Francisco County who cannot access existing county-funded services, and women with high trauma burden requiring gender-responsive treatment. The Mental Health Association of San Francisco will employ a Master's-level clinical case manager to anchor a new gender-responsive Women's Court calendar and a certified substance use disorder counselor-level care coordinator to provide neutral assessment, treatment planning, and cross-county care coordination. Implementation incorporates evidence-based practices including motivational interviewing across the full caseload to engage participants difficult to reach under the existing model and coordinated access to multidisciplinary services.

The project serves justice-involved adults aged 18 and over with moderate to severe substance use disorders, predominantly involving fentanyl and methamphetamine use, often accompanied by co-occurring mental health disorders and extensive trauma histories. The award projects serving 50 unduplicated clients annually and 250 clients across the five-year grant period.

Performance runs from September 30, 2026, through September 29, 2031, at the San Francisco County Superior Court in San Francisco, California. The geographic service area encompasses San Francisco and surrounding counties.

This project adds two full-time positions to expand the capacity and scope of the adult drug court (ADC) and reach two underserved groups: (1) justice-involved adults who reside outside SAN francisco and cannot access county-funded services, and (2) women with high trauma burden who require gender-responsive care. The geographic area served is the city and county of SAN francisco and surrounding counties. The population of SAN francisco is 808,988 (U.S. Census bureau, 2023), and the number of people to be served will be 50 unduplicated clients served annually and 250 throughout the lifetime of the project. This project will serve individuals aged 18 and over, with an estimated distribution of 15% 18-25, 50% 26-50, 35% 51 and over. Clinical characteristics of the population to be served include high-risk/high-need individuals whose substance use significantly contributes to their criminal legal involvement. Participants present with moderate to severe SUD as their primary condition, predominantly fentanyl and methamphetamine use disorders. The majority have CO-occurring mental health disorders and extensive trauma histories. Many require medications for opioid or alcohol use disorder. Strategies and interventions for implementation include launching a gender-responsive calendar within ADC ( women's court); hiring two full-time positions employed through the mental health association of SAN francisco: 1) a master's-level clinical case manager anchoring the new women's court calendar, and 2) a certified SUD counselor-level care coordinator extending neutral assessment, treatment planning, and cross-county care coordination; using evidence-based practices such motivational interviewing across the full caseload to engage participants who are difficult to reach in the existing model; coordinating access to a multitude of services, including medications for opioid use disorder, residential and outpatient treatment, housing, etc. Goals include to: (1) provide equitable access to neutral, court-trusted assessment and treatment planning regardless of county of residence; (2) implement a gender-responsive, trauma-informed women's calendar within ADC; (3) reduce substance use and build recovery-oriented self-sufficiency; (4) improve mental health, health, and social stability; and (5) reduce criminal justice involvement. Measurable objectives aligned with samhsa's strategic priorities are detailed in section B.1 or the…