The City of Springfield has been awarded a $900,000 grant by the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) to operate the Springfield Municipal Adult Rehabilitation and Treatment Court (SMART). The Court will serve criminally involved persons with a substance use or co-occurring disorder and provide participants with the opportunity to participate in treatment, supportive recovery, and formal supervision services as opposed to being incarcerated.
In 2021, records indicate 70 individuals in Springfield died as the result of an overdose using one or a combination of controlled substances. In 2022, 64 individuals died as the result of an overdose. The National Association of Drug Court Professionals have proven that recovery courts save lives, reunite families, reduce recidivism and crime. Treatment courts see an average reduction of 58% in recidivism and the community saves roughly $6,000 per participant.
The SMART Court will provide the accountability of the justice system along with treatment and community resources. Individuals involved are more likely to succeed in recovery when their legal issues have been addressed and are able to build sober support networks such as aftercare and recovery groups and strong foundations in employment, education, transportation, and housing. Individuals cannot graduate until they complete all facets of the program.
SMART Court is the 5th recovery court in the greater Eugene-Springfield area. However, SMART will focus on crimes that occur solely within the city limits of Springfield. This will be a unique opportunity to focus efforts on the individuals who desperately need services in our area.
The SMART team has undergone extensive training including a 2022 foundational training and the 2023 national conference. In 2024, the team will receive federally funded implementation training from the Treatment Court Institute and will attend the national conference. The City is partnering with extensive local organizations including Lane County Parole and Probation, Emergence, and Quality Research Associates.
SMART will begin reviewing referrals in February 2024 and hopes to increase caseloads throughout the year. For further information, please see springfield-or.gov/city/courts/smart/. The BJA grant will support the operation of the SMART Court for four years. The City is exploring other grant opportunities to apply for continued funding before the current grant expires.
What: Launch of Springfield Municipal Adult Rehabilitation and Treatment Court (SMART)
Who: Community members
When: February 2024
Where: Springfield Municipal Court
Additional Information: Court Program Coordinator, Erin Selvey at 541-726-3750 or eselvey@springfield-or.gov.