FORT BEND COUNTY MISDEMEANOR TREATMENT COURT PROGRAM

WHAT IS TREATMENT COURT?

The Misdemeanor Treatment Court handles cases involving substance-abusing offenders through intense supervision, frequent drug testing, treatment services, and immediate sanctions and incentives.  The Court will provide a more comprehensive and closer form of community supervision of the drug-using offender than standard probation.  
The Treatment Court participant will be in constant contact with the Treatment Court team, which will include weekly office visits and court sessions.  
The program tenure is approximately twelve months and is overseen by the Judge of County Court at Law No. 5.  In most cases, successful completion of the Treatment Court Program will result in the participant’s case being dismissed.  Additionally, there is an optional six-month aftercare period, that if/when successfully completed, the participant’s record will be expunged.  
The primary goal of the Fort Bend County Treatment Court Program is to substantially reduce drug use and recidivism of those offenders who participate in the program.

PROGRAM DESIGN

Misdemeanor Treatment Court is broken up into three distinct phases:

Phase One:

  • Treatment through and appropriate provider; 3 group sessions per week; 2 individual sessions per month; 2 recovery support meetings per month; 2 random U/A per week; and bi-monthly attendance at Treatment Court.

Phase Two:

  • Attend 2 group sessions per week; 2 individual counseling sessions per month; 2 recovery support meetings per month; Moral Reconation Therapy begins at 1 time per week; 2 random U/A per week; and bi-monthly attendance at Treatment Court.

Phase Three:

  • Attend 1 group session per week; 1 individual counseling session per week; 2 recovery support meetings per week; 1 random U/A per week; complete MRT; and bi-monthly attendance at Treatment Court.

REFERRAL PROCESS

Referrals from all Fort Bend County Courts will be considered to enter into the program.  The Defendant’s current offense should be a misdemeanor offense with the underlying issue being a substance abuse problem.  
Offenders must be willing to actively participate and must be able to meet all program attendance requirements.
  
Valdemar Balderas
Community Corrections Officer, Treatment Court
281-633-7220

Stan Polk
Assistant Director
281-238-3236