The Montana Office of the Court Administrator (OCA) has developed a peer review process to assist in the alignment of Montana drug treatment courts with state and national evidence-based and best practices. The OCA utilizes the set of standards developed by researchers with the National Association of Drug Court Professionals (Volume I & II ), under the framework of the 10 Key Components to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of Montana treatment courts throughout the state. These standards are research-based and include guidelines for policies and practices that help ensure that Montana drug courts increase access to needed services, reduce recidivism, and are cost effective.

Montana Peer Review Process

The purpose of the Montana Drug Treatment Court peer review process is to help Drug Court teams maximize their effectiveness, provide the Office of the Court Administrator the information to understand how each specific treatment court is uniquely implementing the various practices that fall under the 10 Key Components of Drug Courts and the Best Practice Standards. The questions in the assessment ask for information about various procedures and practices of each Drug Court program and about their specific participant population. The electronic assessment takes less than two hours to complete.

The assessment is completed collaboratively with members of the drug court team (e.g., in a team meeting or in some way checking on answers with your team members).

All the information obtained during this assessment is confidential and becomes the Best Practice Table that is the primary tool used by the on-site survey team during their visit to each treatment court  After the on-site review is completed, a report is developed by the review team.  The report includes documented strengths and recommendations and is sent to the Judge and Drug Court Coordinator for discussion with the team members followed by a request for an action plan to provide a road map as to how recommendations will be resolved (action plans include: the recommendation, action steps for resolution of recommendations, person responsible and a date by which resolution will occur.

If you have questions about the content of the survey or the peer review process, please contact Jeff Kushner at JKushner@mt.gov or (406) 202-5352.

• Check List for Documents
• Peer Review Materials Table of Contents
• Montana peer review best practices and standards

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Montana Peer Review Survey

• Adult Drug Court Survey
• Juvenile Drug Court Survey
• Family Drug Court Survey

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