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American Addiction Centers National Rehabs Directory

Court Ordered Rehab for Drug and Alcohol Addiction Near Me

What Is Court-Ordered Rehab?

Court-ordered rehab programs allow offenders suffering from substance abuse issues to attend drug treatment and agree to court supervision instead of serving a prison sentence.1

It’s not uncommon that people with alcohol or drug abuse issues aren’t able to see their situation clearly and refuse any suggestions to seek treatment. Their disorder might result in considerable private and legal problems. In case of legal problems, SUD-affected individuals might get an order from the criminal court system to attend treatment. The number of people with alcohol or drug abuse issues that get mandated by the court to attend rehab keeps growing.2

Awareness that SUDs present a public health issue has led to new ways of dealing with them. Court-ordered rehabilitation is a cost-effective and efficient way to address addiction-related criminal behavior since incarceration, in most cases, doesn’t fix the underlying addiction issues that led to criminal behavior.3 

This way, addicted individuals get a lighter punishment for crimes and misdemeanors and gain the opportunity to stop their excessive alcohol or drug use. When presented with this choice, a lot of people agree to seek treatment and attend court-ordered drug rehab programs so they can avoid prison completely or receive a less severe sentence.3

Drug courts were created to relieve criminal courts from rising numbers of drug cases during past decades and to reduce prison overcrowding. They offered a better alternative for people struggling with addiction.3

How Does Court-Ordered Drug and Alcohol Addiction Treatment Work?

Even though most US courts can order an addicted offender to attend and complete a rehab program, in some jurisdictions, designated courts handle drug offenses. Their goal is to improve the outcome for the offender. The first such drug treatment court was established in 1989 in Florida, and now there are more than 1,000 of them. They exist in rural, urban, and suburban areas.4

Court-ordered addiction treatment has two primary goals: to decrease criminal behavior and to reduce substance abuse. Several types of treatment and supervision are used to achieve this. The offender is required to regularly visit the court and is subjected to drug testing.5

Court-ordered drug or alcohol addiction treatment is a joint effort of the judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, probation officers, and health professionals. Nonviolent defenders charged with criminal drug-related offenses are usually instructed to attend long-term rehab – generally not longer than 60 days. This also includes meeting certain requirements even after treatment (generally for 12-15 months), including regular reporting to court, and receiving orders, incentives, or sanctions for failure to meet court-ordered obligations.6

The participating offenders will receive treatment for their alcohol or drug abuse, as well as basic physical and mental health care, and support services.4

What Are the Types of Court-Ordered Rehab Programs?

The most common charges that lead people to court-ordered rehab are driving under the influence (DUI) or driving while intoxicated (DWI). Just like with any SUD treatment program, approaches are personalized according to each patient’s needs and circumstances.5

The court usually recommends an appropriate treatment that might include detox, inpatient or intensive outpatient treatment, and sometimes vocational and educational training. The offenders are supervised daily by the court, medical and addiction treatment staff, or social service staff. They collaborate to monitor the progress of patients in court-ordered rehab.5 

The court system aims to offer several types of treatment options for the offenders: 7

  • An accelerated pretrial program is a rehabilitation program with strict requirements. The offender can qualify for it only if they haven’t attended any similar programs before or if they are not being charged with a felony. If they meet these requirements and get ordered to attend this type of program, they’re released to the Drug Court Support Services Department (CSSD) that will monitor their rehab. If the patient completes the program successfully, they will be acquitted of charges.
  • Detox and inpatient rehab programs. Sometimes, in cases of severe drug or alcohol addiction that led to charges, the court might order the offender to go to a medically supervised detox facility or an inpatient treatment center to avoid a harsh sentence or spending time in prison. The court can also order community service or vocational training.
  • Educational programs and community services are the most accessible court-ordered drug rehab programs for offenders, as well as the most frequently ordered ones. They are available to people charged with driving while under the influence of alcohol or to those charged with possession of drugs. They usually last between 10-15 weeks and after successful completion, the judge will dismiss the charges and the court files will be sealed. Offenders charged with possession of drugs may have somewhat different conditions for eligibility. Sometimes it must be their first time attending such treatment. The type of program the defendant should be in is decided through CSSD investigation and evaluation of the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services. It could be an educational or work program, or a SUD treatment program.
  • Residential counseling or group therapy sessions are also commonly ordered treatment options. Group counseling is usually based on AA’s 12-step model. Residential counseling is the more intensive option for drug and alcohol offenders.

How To Get Court-Ordered Drug And Alcohol Treatment?

Those who suffer an arrest related to drugs or alcohol might have access to a program that helps the person avoid jail time. If you find yourself arrested because of drunk driving, drug possession or another related crime, you should talk to your lawyer about alternative sentencing rehab. Your lawyer can broach this subject with the judge, and in some cases, the judge might suggest this treatment plan.

Who is Eligible for Court Mandated Rehab (Alternative Sentencing) Program?

One of the first questions that you might ask is who qualifies for this program. Most courts look at first-time offenders because those people are less likely to commit a crime in the future. The court also looks at drug addiction and alcoholism as diseases that you cannot control. If you are in good standing in the community, you might qualify for this program. The judge hopes that by attending court-ordered rehab, you can get sober, which reduces the chances of you breaking the same law again.

Should The Drug Addicts Choose Court Ordered Rehab (Alternative Sentencing Program) or Imprisonment?

The judge might give you the choice between serving jail time for your crime or attending a treatment program. You should look at several factors before making your decision, including:

  • Whether you are committed to getting clean
  • How long you want to stay away from your friends and family
  • If you want a conviction on your record
  • If you want to avoid legal trouble in the future

“In most cases, if an addict successfully completes an alternative sentencing rehab program, the court removes the crime from the individual’s record.”In most cases, if an addict successfully completes an alternative sentencing rehab program, the court removes the crime from the individual’s record. For example, if you have a DUI and finish treatment, the judge removes the DUI from your public record. Most states require that you complete the treatment plan before the court expunges your record. According to the Kings County District Attorney’s Office, offenders in the county who do not complete the program must attend the original jail time imposed by the court.

An alternative rehab program can save you from future troubles because the court wipes your slate clean. An employer, financial institution or anyone else doing a criminal background check on you should not see any signs of your crime. You also have the chance to learn the skills you need to stay away from drugs or alcohol in the future.

How Long is Court-Ordered Rehab?

The minimum length of time that you spend in the alternative sentencing rehab is 30 days. The judge has the final say on how long an addict must attend treatment, and the judge can mandate that an addict stay in rehab for up to one year. The courts generally reserve the longer stays for those who have more than one drug or alcohol offense on their records.

The court can also increase the stay based on how well you perform in rehab. Alternative addiction treatment programs often report back to the court. The judge wants to ensure that you stay healthy and that you learn the skills you need when you leave the center. If the judge determines that an addict is not following the treatment plan, he or she can order the individual to stay at the center for longer than determined in the original sentencing.

Are Court-Ordered Drug and Alcohol Rehab Programs Effective?

Even though the criminal justice system applies legal pressure to encourage participation in SUD treatment, it has high rates of completion and success. However, the outcome may depend on several factors. The treatment can be a condition of pretrial release, probation, or parole. A lot of rehab center patients are open about the fact that legal pressure was the determining factor for attending treatment. In general, successful outcomes are just as prevalent or even more common than the effect of treatment without any legal pressure. Individuals entering treatment under these circumstances tend to have higher attendance rates and stay in treatment longer, which also improves the chances of positive outcomes.8

Shorter-term studies that reported similar outcomes for voluntary and court-ordered rehab were supported by the data analysis conducted by NIDA and Department of Veterans Affairs research. The results have shown that people who complete court-ordered addiction treatment for substance abuse issues, despite lower initial motivation, show the same abstinence rates after 5 years as those who seek out the treatment themselves.9

What Are the Benefits of Court-Ordered Substance Abuse Rehab Programs?

Even the drug-addicted individuals who have never been open to the idea of getting help and going to rehab, when made to do so by court order, might benefit from the therapeutic environment. Successful completion of the substance abuse treatment program can have more than one favorable outcome for the defendant.7

Recovering individuals may experience the following benefits:9 

  • A rehabilitation program can change their views, lessen their resistance, and present them with a chance to reflect on previous choices and behaviors, as well as the consequences and problems they led to. 
  • They might come to understand and accept the need for treatment, even if their initial motivation was to simply avoid imprisonment. 
  • Court-ordered rehab programs also might provide an opportunity for people who never had insurance or financial means to get access to needed treatment through sliding fee centers.
  • Individuals who successfully complete the treatment program have higher chances of achieving lasting sobriety. 
  • Aside from detox, they are also provided with access to various tools and resources. 
  • Patients get to learn new life skills, enhance their coping mechanisms, and learn to manage stress and cravings. This gives them more confidence to resist alcohol or drugs in high-risk situations. 
  • Data gathered through 1-year follow-up shows that a significant percentage of patients reported abstinence, moderate alcohol use of alcohol, no drug-related consequences, and motivation to change their lives.

Additionally, the cost-effectiveness of court-ordered rehab was confirmed in a study conducted by the State of California. While the outpatient treatment proved to be the most cost-effective, residential treatment, sober living, transitional housing, and maintenance medications are also cost-effective approaches.5

How to Find Rehab Centers Near Me

Treatment-seeking individuals and their loved ones can find a wide variety of both state-funded and private, luxury treatment facilities that offer different levels of care. You can use the FindTreatment.gov service set up by the Federal Government to browse treatment facilities that fit your requirements. After you’ve identified a few centers that may be suitable for you or a loved one struggling with drug or alcohol abuse, it’s advisable to contact the centers directly.15

If you call the American Addiction Centers helpline, our helpful admissions navigators will take down your information, hear out your story, and answer your questions in detail. They can let you know what our admissions and diagnostics are like and help you make plans for your stay at one of our comfortable treatment facilities.

Finding Court-Ordered Alcohol and Drug Rehab Near Me

The court might give you the chance to choose your own alternative sentencing rehab center. This lets you find a center that focuses on the type of treatment that works best for your addiction. If you need help looking for the right rehab center nearby, contact us at . We can help you find the best treatment program that matches your lifestyle and personality.

Did You Know?

  • According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, more than 150,000 people are currently in prison because of drug offenses.
  • The State of California spends around $47,000 per year to house and care for a single prisoner, meaning the government spends millions on crimes relating to drugs.
  • California’s Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act offers drug treatment as an alternative to jail time for paroled offenders and those on probation.

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