What is a specialty court?  Reno Municipal Court must seek a balance between efficiency, public safety, and compassion.  In keeping with this goal, Reno Municipal Court operates two Adult Drug Courts addressing the substance abuse issues of offenders convicted primarily of DUI, domestic violence, drug offenses, and prostitution. These are not solely DUI Courts.  These problem-solving courts operate within the Reno Municipal Court and have been in existence since 2001 and 2005 respectively.  They have proven to be very effective, serving almost 200 clients in calendar year 2009. This newest court has been added to enhance the Courts’ existing adult drug courts.

Reno Municipal Court is the second largest municipal court in the state, having four judges.  The Reno Municipal Court is a high-volume, limited jurisdiction court of record that adjudicates criminal misdemeanor (e.g., domestic violence, DUI, drug possession, and possessing paraphernalia and petty theft) and traffic violations committed by adults within the City of Reno proper.  Reno Municipal Court’s jurisdiction includes the downtown core that incorporates the business district, the majority of casinos and other adult venues in the city, as well as the area surrounding the University of Nevada, Reno.  The Reno Municipal Court supervises approximately 3,000 defendants each year who have been placed under supervision because of their offenses.  Many of these people suffer from both serious mental illnesses and substance abuse, referred to as “co-occurring” disorders (COD).  The levels of supervision ranges from strictly monitoring for sentence compliance, to random alcohol and drug screens and intense supervision with community contact.  Reno Municipal Court provides an existing infrastructure for grant administration, monitoring  (drug testing, fines, restitution), community supervision, and ongoing court appearances.  The court maintains positive working relationships with the City Attorney’s office and the legal defenders, as well as treatment providers.  Although thousands of cases are handled through the court yearly, there exists camaraderie among the professional staff that has been forged through a common purpose of service to the community.

Reno’s new  Co-Occurring Mental and Substance Abuse Disorders Court operates in a third department, under the direction of Judge Dorthy Nash Holmes. Annually, this new COD court is designed to serve approximately 55 Washoe County residents.  The goal is to help defendants with co-occurring disorders, integrate services, and fill a gap in services for those offenders charged with DUI or Domestic Violence. Referrals can be made by anyone; usually Reno Municipal Court judges and ASU staff who identify a person who has a substance abuse history or substance abuse problem; and who indicate a history of mental health treatment, medication, or a referral for treatment or medication. Client must  also have a criminal case pending  at Reno Municipal Court. Give Mary Baker a call at (775) 334-3092 to answer any other questions about Reno’s specialty courts.

Join Together Northern Nevada works with Reno Muncipal Court to provide program evaluation services to this new Co-Occurring Mental and Substance Abuse Disorder Specialty Court.  RMC is implementing a formative evaluative process designed to put in place a continuous feedback loop that will allow for ongoing program adjustments based upon data-driven decisions.  Benchmarks of a valid formative evaluation process include targeted staff training, knowledge transfer, and follow up.  Feedback from clients is critical.

READ A STATUS REPORT ON THE CO-OCCURRING DISORDERS COURT HERE.