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Accountability Courts - Educational Programs
History of the Alabama Court Referral Programs
The Alabama Court Referral Program evolved from its beginnings in 1985 to its' present
form. The original program was derived from the DWI Program in Phoenix, Arizona
during the 1970's. There are 24 local Court Referral Education Programs and 49 Court Referral
Officer Programs. Statewide, there are more than 100 certified Court Referral Officers (CROs), more
than 40 Monitoring Specialist (MSs), and more than 120 certified Level 1, Level 2, and Youth & Juvenile Instructors.
Educational Programs
- Level 1
The Level 1 Program is a minimum 12-hour presentation which includes an orientation
to the court referral program, substance abuse, laws/consequences, alcohol/other
drugs and their effects, and looking ahead. This class is designed for those defendants
evaluated by the CRO and determined not to have a substance abuse problem. Level
1 is restricted to no more than 35 students and the cost is $150.00 and the workbook fee is $30.00.
- Level 2
The Level 2 component is a minimum 24-hour interactional program which relies heavily
on defendant participation. This course is designed for those defendants determined
to have a problem or presumed to have a problem with alcohol or other drugs of abuse.
There are four mandatory self-help meetings which must be completed prior to the
last session. In addition to covering the same information in Level 1, other areas
presented include patterns of use, family and support systems, and coping skills.
The class size is restricted to 15 students with one instructor or 18 students with two instructors.
The cost of the Level 2 education program is $290.00 and the workbook fee is $40.00.
- Youth & Juvenile
The Youth & Juvenile education curriculum is a 12-hour program for young persons
age 21 and under who are involved in alcohol and drug-related crimes or who has
been identified as high-risk youth. Offenders between the ages 18-20 may be assigned
to adult Level 1 or 2 programs according to the CRO's discretion.
The curriculum includes an orientation, physical, psychological, and sociological
effects of alcohol and drugs, Alabama law relating to substance abuse offenses,
addiction, coping skills, and community resources, exploring consequences, and conflict
resolution. The class size is restricted to no more than 12 students and the cost
is $115.00 and the workbook fee is $10.00.
- Level 3 (Treatment)
A Level 3 referral is a referral to treatment. Most Level 3 referrals are sent to
a community mental health center for a full assessment utilizing the DSM V-R criteria.
Defendants are then referred primarily to inpatient treatment or intensive outpatient
programs(IOP).
The Department of Mental Health or the Joint Commission for the Accreditation of Hospital
Organizations (JCAHO) certifies treatment programs.
Fees for treatment are based on a sliding scale. As with Level 1, 2, and Youth &
Juvenile, if a defendant is declared indigent by a judge, there is no fee for services.
However, the Mandatory Treatment Act states if and when that defendant becomes able
to pay for services, the respective programs may request payment.
Level 1 Program Overview
Participants will attend each of the sessions in sequence, always beginning with
Session 1. The program is generally structured in four three-hour sessions.
- Session 1: Introduction
- Session 2: Laws & Consequences
- Session 3: Alcohol/Other Drugs & Their Effects
- Session 4: Looking Ahead
Level 2 Program Overview
Participations will attend each of the sessions in sequence, always beginning with
Session 1. Level 2 participants have the option to bring a friend or family member
to Session 5. The program is generally structured with eight sessions, with a total
of 24 class hours. Participants are also required to attend four one-hour self-help
meetings on their own, for a total of 28 hours.
- Session 1: Introduction
- Session 2: Laws & Consequences
- Session 3: Alcohol/Other Drugs & Their Effects
- Session 4: Patterns of Use
- Session 5: Family & Support Systems
- Session 6: Strategies for Positive Change
- Session 7: Strategies for Positive Change (continued)
- Session 8: Looking Ahead
Youth & Juvenile Program Overview
Students will attend each of the sessions in sequence, always beginning with Session 1.
- Session 1: Introduction
- Session 2: Alcohol/Other Drugs & Their Effects
- Session 3: Exploring Consequences
- Session 4: Anger and Me
- Session 5: Resolving Conflict
- Session 6: Personal Change Plan
Level 3 Treatment Overview
A Level 3 referral is a referral to treatment. Most Level 3 referrals are sent to
a community mental health center for a full assessment utilizing the DSM V-R criteria.
Level 3 consists of inpatient or intensive outpatient treatment. IOP is individual
or group treatment and other therapeutic activities, including self-help, occurring
during scheduled operating hours. While in treatment the following topics are discussed,
explored and addressed: alcohol/other drugs & their effects, patterns of use, triggers,
relapse, effective communication skills, stress and anger management, etc...
Level 1 Education Goals
Level 1 is a 12-hour program primarily for defendants who have been evaluated as
non-problem users.
Program goals are to:
- provide participants with information about the Alabama laws that relate to alcohol
and other drugs.
- provide participants with information about how alcohol and other drugs affect behavior,
the body, the family, and community.
- give participants an opportunity to evaluate their own use of alcohol and other
drugs.
- help participants create personal change plans to avoid problems with alcohol and
other drugs in the future.
- reduce the number of alcohol and other drug-related crimes.
Level 2 Education Goals
Level 2 includes 24 hours of intensive education and the 4 hours of self-help for
defendants who are assessed as substance abusers.
Program goals are to:
- provide participants with information about the Alabama laws that relate to alcohol
and other drugs.
- provide participants with information about how alcohol and other drugs affect behavior,
the body, the family, and community.
- help participants understand the patterns of alcohol and other drug use from nonuse
to dependency.
- give participants an opportunity to evaluate their own use of alcohol and other
drugs.
- provide participants with information about how alcohol and other drug abuse affects
the family.
- discuss recovery and introduce available community resources.
- help participants strengthen coping skills, including stress reduction, alcohol/other
drug refusal, communication and anger management skills.
- help participants create personal change plans to avoid problems with alcohol and
other drugs in the future.
- reduce the number of alcohol and other drug-related crimes.
Youth & Juvenile Education Goals
Youth & Juvenile Education is a 12-hour program for young persons age 21 and under
who are involved in alcohol or other drug-related crimes or who have been identified
as high-risk youth.
Program goals are to:
- Encourage students to identify the reason they are attending the class and what
problems may have led them there.
- Provide students with information about how the use of alcohol and other drugs affect
behavior, the body, the family, and their future.
- Provide students with information about the symptoms and risks of substance abuse
and addiction.
- Provide students with information about Alabama laws that relate to alcohol and
other drugs.
- Help students examine how they deal with angry feelings.
- Teach students how to control their feelings and behavior by controlling their thoughts
and attitudes.
- Provide students with strategies for conflict resolution.
- Help students create a personal change plan to address one of the problems they
are experiencing.
- Reduce the number of alcohol and other drug-related crimes.
Level 3 Goals
Outpatient and Inpatient Treatment may vary in length depending on the severity
of the alcohol and drug problem.
Some of the program goals are to:
- Encourage defendants to identify the reason they are attending treatment and what
problems may have led them there.
- Provide defendants with information about how the use of alcohol and other drugs
affect behavior, the body, the family, and their future.
- Provide defendants with information about the symptoms and risks of substance abuse
and addiction.
- Provide defendants with strategies for triggers.
- Reduce the number of alcohol and other drug-related crimes.
- Maintain sobriety and drug free.