Massachusetts Center of Excellence for Specialty Courts

Principal Investigators: Drawbridge & Daly

Funding Source: Executive Office of the Massachusetts Trial Court

The Massachusetts Center of Excellence (CoE) for Specialty Courts is an initiative of the Executive Office of the Massachusetts Trial Court. It is operated by the National Collaborative for Implementation Support at UMass Chan Medical School. Treatment Courts serve individuals involved with the court system who are at high likelihood of system re-involvement and experience behavioral health disorders. The CoE supports treatment courts across the commonwealth through implementation, dissemination, research, evaluation, and policy advisement.

Achieving Outcomes through Implementation Support: Advancing Risk-Need-Responsivity

Principal Investigators: Drawbridge & Crist

Funding Source: Massachusetts Office of Community Corrections

The National Collaborative for Implementation Support has partnered with the Massachusetts Office of Community Corrections. We support the implementation of Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) across a statewide system of Community Justice Support Centers to improve public safety.

This project is informed by the Interactive Systems Framework for Dissemination and Implementation and the Evidence-Based System for Innovation Support. These frameworks enhance effective implementation of risk-needs assessment, case management, and cognitive-behavioral groups.

Project Navigation, Outreach, Recovery, Treatment and Hope: Implementation Support

Principal Investigators: Drawbridge & Crist

Funding Source: Bureau of Justice Assistance & Executive Office of the Massachusetts Trial Court

Project Navigation, Outreach, Recovery, Treatment, and Hope (NORTH) is an initiative of the Executive Office of the Massachusetts Trial Court. It provides voluntary court-based recovery support navigation. It also offers transportation and rent in certified and participating sober homes for persons with court involvement.

The National Collaborative for Implementation Support partnered with the Trial Court to support implementation of Project NORTH. We’ve worked together to design, deploy, and operate a data infrastructure for Project NORTH. We developed a continuous audit and feedback process to monitor navigation services. The team provides technical assistance to the Trial Court. Additionally, it conducts evaluations of the Trial Court’s capacity for and implementation of Project NORTH.

Shannon Community Safety Initiative: Local Action Research Partner

Principal Investigators: Drawbridge & Crist

Funding Source: Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety & Security

The National Collaborative for Implementation Support is partnered with the City of Fitchburg in its Shannon Community Safety Initiative (CSI). We provide research, evaluation, training, and technical assistance. These efforts aim to improve youth and young adult outcomes in the Fitchburg, Gardner, and Leominster communities.

Our Shannon CSI work includes several key components. We assist with implementing and monitoring risk assessments. A significant focus is the design of intervention maps and implementation blueprints. We also conduct community risk assessments and needs and resource assessments. Additionally, we design and facilitate a Shannon Young Adult Advisory Board.

Enhancing System Delivery of Risk-Need-Responsivity through the Voice of Lived Experience

Principal Investigators: Drawbridge & Crist

Funding Source: Massachusetts Office of Community Corrections

The National Collaborative for Implementation Support partnered with the Massachusetts Office of Community Corrections. Working together, we’ve planned, designed, and deployed a Community Advisory Board. The Community Advisory Board is comprised of people with lived experiences in the criminal-legal system. They provide recommendations on policy, practice, and service delivery to the state’s 18 Community Justice Support Centers.

Community Service: Improving Public Safety Through Accountability and Strengths

Principal Investigators: Drawbridge & Crist

Funding Source: Massachusetts Office of Community Corrections

The National Collaborative for Implementation Support partnered with the Massachusetts Office of Community Corrections. We’ve worked together to re-imagine the state’s Community Service Program. We worked with stakeholders to conduct a comprehensive needs assessment. We clarified the goals of community service. We selected evidence-based principles to achieve the program’s goal. Finally, we re-designed and piloted a Community Service Program that fosters strengths within clients.

Family Treatment Court: Implementation Support

Principal Investigators: Drawbridge

Funding Source: Office of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Program & Executive Office of the Massachusetts Trial Court

Family Treatment Courts serve adults with substance use disorders and open Care & Protection cases with the courts. The National Collaborative for Implementation Support partnered with the Executive Office of the Massachusetts Trial Court. We’ve worked together to design, deploy, and operate a data infrastructure for Family Treatment Courts.