Connecting Treatment Courts & Health Professionals

The Connecting Treatment Court and Health Professionals project brings together stakeholders across the state of Michigan who share a vested interest in the recovery of persons with substance use disorder who are also participants in a drug treatment court.

This project was designed to facilitate positive, effective working relationships between local health professionals, court officials, and other law enforcement agencies in order to improve outcomes for individuals involved in the justice system due to substance use disorders.

This work is the result of efforts by the Michigan Treatment Court and Health Professionals Collaborative to achieve these shared objectives:

  • Stronger relationships between treatment courts and medical professionals

  • Greater understanding about the benefits and safety of evidence-based treatment for justice-involved patients

  • Broader use of medication-assisted treatment (MAT)

  • Better coordination between MAT prescribers and drug court program staff

  • Best practice sharing to address problem cases and develop standardized protocols

Outcomes from the use of MAT in concert with behavioral health interventions is well documented. Medication-assisted treatment is an evidence-based treatment for opioid addiction that involves the use of any of a few specific medicines that stop the physical symptoms of withdrawal and controls cravings for opioids. Unfortunately, national statistics indicate 90 percent of patients who need addiction treatment services do not have access to such treatment.

Project Grant

The Connecting Treatment Courts & Health Professionals project was made possible through support from the Michigan Health Endowment Fund (MHEF). The MHEF works to improve the health and wellness of Michigan residents and reduce the cost of healthcare, with a special focus on children and seniors. For more information about the Health Fund, visit: MIHealthFund.org.