An accurate diagnosis can get you the help you need, and more appropriate and constructive action from the criminal justice system.  Court Assessment & Referral Services provides cost-effective, professional assessments and treatment referrals for individuals accused of alcohol and drug related offenses.  Our services provide a bridge between the criminal justice system, the treatment service system, and the client.

Federally released reports indicate that over 70% of individuals brought into the criminal justice system have substance abuse and/or mental health problems.  In California, this translates into hundreds of thousands of defendants annually.

The judiciary recognized early on the need for criminal divisions to address ever-increasing court backlogs caused by crimes involving undetected substance abuse and co-occurring disorders.  Increasingly, courts are providing opportunities for qualified defendants to address these issues by linking the sanctions of the criminal justice system with the therapeutic interventions of treatment programs.

To facilitate this process, it's essential that judges receive accurate, professional assessments on the nature of an offender's condition to utilize when setting bail, considering Pre-Trial Intervention, Drug Court participation, or sentencing.  This is where Court Assessment & Referral Services comes in.  We provide cost-effective assessments, along with many follow-up services, on a private-pay basis.

When you hire us to perform an assessment, our evaluator will schedule an immediate intake interview, at which time you'll receive a thorough psycho/social and mental health evaluation.  Once a diagnosis has been determined, the evaluator will define your treatment needs and an appropriate level of care, referencing available treatment resources.

A complete report, including specific treatment recommendations, an appropriate treatment provider, and an anticipated treatment entry date, will be prepared and delivered to the court.  If you're deemed appropriate for substance abuse and/or mental health intervention, our evaluator may be retained to provide regular updates to the court as the case moves through the criminal justice process.

Being arrested on a substance-related charge such as Driving Under the Influence (DUI) or possession of Marijuana can be a frightening and humiliating experience, especially for a first-time offender.  A clinical diagnosis has important legal ramifications, since judges tend to rely on these assessments to identify an offender's needs and risks, and to determine the offender's disposition. Our goal is to help individuals address underlying substance abuse and mental health problems, learn from the arrest, satisfy court requirements, and ultimately put the episode behind them.  These services provide a needed bridge between the criminal justice system, the treatment service system, and the client.