Springfield awarded funds to help launch rehabilitation and treatment court
Springfield announced Tuesday that the city was awarded a $900,000 grant to launch and operate a rehabilitation and treatment court for individuals with substance use disorder.
The Springfield Municipal Adult Rehabilitation and Treatment Court would focus on crimes that occur solely within Springfield city limits as the fifth recovery court in the greater Eugene-Springfield community.
"This is a new program," said Erin Selvey, court program coordinator in Springfield. "This is an adult drug treatment court so we will be taking in people with misdemeanor offenses committed in Springfield who have a high risk of continued criminal behavior and high needs related to substance use disorder for treatment."
The SMART team is set to begin reviewing referrals in February and hopes to increase its caseload over the course of the year.
The program is designed to provide "criminally involved" residents with substance use disorder the opportunity to participate in treatment, supportive recovery and formal supervision services as an alternative to incarceration.
Selvey said Springfield's treatment court is aimed toward cases with misdemeanors related to property crimes, DUI and crimes like assault that have a direct relation to a person's substance use.
According to city officials, records indicate that 70 individuals in Springfield died as a result of an overdose using one or a combination of controlled substances in 2021. In 2022, 64 residents died as a result of an overdose.
The city also says that the court will provide the accountability of the justice system along with treatment and community resources.
"This is one of those programs that can really be impactful in a different way than straight incarceration because it can lead people into better outcomes and better outcomes for the community as well," Selvey said.
The court program would follow evidence-based practices. Springfield residents involved in the program would be more likely to succeed in recovery when their legal issues have been addressed and they can build sober support networks such as aftercare and recovery groups, according to a press release from Springfield.
Participants may also build foundations in employment, education, transportation and housing. They cannot graduate until they complete all facets of the court program.
Data from the National Association of Drug Court Professionals outlines the benefits of treatment courts, including their ability to save lives, reduce recidivism and crime, and reunite families. Across the U.S., there are at least 4,000 treatment courts in operation. They have helped lead to a 58% reduction in crime with involved participants and $6,000 in tax dollars saved per participant, according to the NADCP.
"It will hopefully direct those individuals to services in order to avoid any future criminal behavior," Selvey said.
The treatment court is funded by the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance, for four years. In the meantime, Springfield plans to also seek other grant opportunities to apply for continued funding before the Bureau of Justice grant expires.
Haleigh Kochanski is a breaking news and public safety reporter for The Register-Guard. You may reach her at HKochanski@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Springfield launches rehabilitation and treatment court
