Drug Treatment Court Funding Program

Overview

The Drug Treatment Court Funding Program is one component of Canada's Drug Strategy (CDS) Renewed, a federally coordinated initiative that takes a balanced approach to reducing the demand for, and supply of, drugs. The Programs Branch of the Department of Justice, in partnership with the Drug Strategy and Controlled Substances Programme at the Department of Health, is responsible for the overall management of the Drug Treatment Court (DTC) Funding Program.

DTCs represent a concerted effort to break the cycle of drug use and criminal recidivism. They focus on facilitating treatment for drug-involved offenders who meet specified criteria and provide an alternative to incarceration by offering an opportunity to complete a drug treatment program. These special courts take a comprehensive approach intended to reduce the number of crimes committed to support drug dependence through judicial supervision, comprehensive substance abuse treatment, random and frequent drug testing, incentives and sanctions, clinical case management, and social services support. They are aimed at reducing the harm people cause to themselves and to others through their drug use, as well as reducing the risk that these individuals will continue to use drugs and thereby come into conflict with the law.

There are currently two DTCs (Toronto and Vancouver) operating in Canada. Both courts were established as pilot demonstration projects with funding from the Department of Justice's National Crime Prevention Strategy. These two models can inform the development of other DTCs, however, any new courts will need to develop a model that is tailored to meet their own needs and realities.

The objectives of the DTC Funding Program are as follows:

• To promote and strengthen the use of alternatives to incarceration with a particular focus on youth, Aboriginal men and women and street prostitutes;
• To build knowledge and awareness among criminal justice, health and social service practitioners, and the general public about drug treatment courts; and
• To collect information and data on the effectiveness of DTCs in order to promote best practices and the continuing refinement of approaches.

Who is eligible?

The DTC Funding Program will be available to national, provincial, municipal, Aboriginal, community-based or professional organizations, societies and associations which have voluntarily associated themselves for a non-profit purpose, and which has a mandate to represent or serve their membership or communities. Provincial, territorial, municipal and regional governments, institutions or agencies are also eligible.

For more information please see the Call for Proposals page.

• Drug Treatment Court Funding Program: Guide for Applicants (2004-2005)