1. HEALTH GENERAL ARTICLES §8-505, 8-506, 8507
Karen Yoke, M.A.
Chief of Justice Services
Maryland Alcohol and Drug Abuse Administration

2. LISA BARKAN, ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL

3. Health General 8-505
Before or during a criminal trial or before sentencing
To determine if defendant is in need of substance abuse treatment and may benefit from treatment

4. Conditions of Evaluation
Current statue: defendant does not need to be in custody
Court shall set and may change the conditions
Outpatient examinations
Can set bail or authorize release on recognizance

5. Custodial Evaluations
Local Detention Center
Evaluators identified for each jurisdiction
Division of Correction
Contracted evaluators

6. Duties of the Evaluator
If a Court orders an evaluation, the evaluator shall:
Conduct an evaluation of the defendant
Submit a complete report of the evaluation within 7 days to the Court, Department and defendant’s attorney
On good cause shown, the Court may extend the time for the evaluation.

7. Current additions to evaluation
Name a specific program
Provide an estimated date of admission

8. Health General § 8-506
A court may commit a defendant to the Department if:
Not clinically appropriate for the defendant to be evaluated in a detention facility or outpatient
Place defendant in an appropriate health care facility or immediately conduct an evaluation of the defendant.
Unless the Department retains the defendant, the defendant shall be promptly returned to the Court after the evaluation.

9. Health General § 8-507 Commitment for Treatment
If a Court finds in a criminal case that a defendant has an alcohol and drug dependency, the Court may commit the defendant to the Department as a condition of release, after conviction, or at any time the defendant voluntarily agrees to treatment.

10. PROVIDED: No sentence of incarceration is currently in effect.
No detainer is currently lodged.
No “Dual Commitments”

11. PREREQUISITES Order evaluation pursuant to 8-505-6
Offer the defendant opportunity to receive treatment and obtain written consent of the defendant to receive treatment and have information reported back to the Court.
Consider the report
Find treatment recommended appropriate and necessary

12. SUPERVISION OF THE DEFENDANT
BY Parole and Probation
By Pretrial Detention
Local Detention facility-Department facilitates the admission

13. Transportation
A Court may order transportation by law enforcement officials, detention center staff, DPSCS staff, or sheriff’s department staff within the local jurisdiction to and from the institutional facility and the treatment program.

14. Helpful information Commitment to DHMH for SA Tx is not a sentence
Judge does not have the authority to commit to treatment for a specific time
Judge does not have the authority to commit directly to SA Program without utilizing an evaluation
Judge does not have the authority to order transportation to a program without an evaluation and tx recommendation.
SA Treatment Programs are not secure facilities.

15. Administration mandates
Facilitate prompt treatment
DHMH/ADAA shall provide services or the designee may carry out the duties.