For the City Times

MADISON – Adams and Portage counties will receive treatment court and diversion (TAD) funds as part of additional $1.5 million over the biennium, made available through the 2019-2021 State Budget.

 “Expanding access to treatment for Wisconsinites with substance-use disorder is a critical part of our effort to reduce substance abuse,” said State Attorney General Josh Kaul. “I’m proud to announce grants that will support treatment and diversion options for people who become involved in the criminal justice system due to an addiction.”

The TAD program provides local jurisdictions with options to give non-violent offenders an opportunity to enter diversion programs or treatment court programs as a safe alternative to jail or prison confinement. These options typically involve drug and/or alcohol abuse treatment, case management, and other risk reduction services.

Diverting non-violent offenders into substance abuse treatment improves outcomes for individuals with a substance use disorder, and keeps them out of jail and correctional facilities.

The Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) is responsible for administering the program, in partnership with Department of Corrections, Department of Health Services, Director of State Courts Office, and State Public Defender’s Office.

The TAD funds will begin programs in three Wisconsin counties and one tribe, and expand programs in multiple counties, including Adams and Portage.

Adams County was awarded more than $21,000 to support funding a peer support specialist and a volunteer transportation service for their program participants.

Portage County was given more than $76,000 to support a case manager position to increase capacity of their established diversion program. The diversion program will receive TAD funding starting in 2020, in addition to their existing TAD-funded adult drug court program.

These expansion funds are in addition to ongoing annual funding for TAD. In total, TAD funding over the biennium now totals almost $14.4 million, which includes county drug court programs, and supports treatment courts and diversion programs in three tribes and 53 counties in Wisconsin.