Assessment, Treatment, and Research Services (ATRS)

Clients are referred for pre-assessment screening by community supervision officers in the courts and in the satellite offices. The screenings consist of self-report questionnaires designed to gather psychosocial information, measures of substance abuse history and current use patterns, and mental health screening instruments. The self-report portion of the screening is followed by face-to-face interview with a technician. The primary purpose of the screening is to determine the need for further evaluation. A secondary purpose is data collection for use in improving the accuracy of clinical prediction and decision-making. Any observations or other signs of crisis or emergency are immediately reported to a clinical supervisor for intervention. Otherwise, if further evaluation is indicated, appointments are scheduled with the appropriate assessment staff.

Clerical staff provide validation of the personal information provided by clients upon their report to ATRS. This serves to confirm their history with ATRS, their legal status, and either intentional or inadvertent misinformation. Clerical staff also manage the flow of information through ATRS, between ATRS and other CSCD departments, and between ATRS and external agencies. ATRS maintains a dedicated referral system that consists of a scheduling coordinator who triages all referrals for ATRS, a data system clerk who serves as the data system administrator, and a computer network that links electronically with all providers. The data system administrator produces both routine reports to assist in the day-to-day management of the program and specialty reports for further analysis.

The Assessment Department provides information to the courts and probation staff regarding clients' social history, personality, psychological and chemical dependency issues, responsivity factors (including motivation and readiness for change), treatment needs, and recommended supervision strategies, as well as responses to other specific referral questions. This division of ATRS also provides crisis intervention for clients in urgent need and consultation to the courts and probation staff. A team approach is utilized in order to establish a close relationship between the courts and the ATRS assessors. Most services are provided in both English and Spanish.

Services provided:

• Drug and Alcohol Assessment Includes a psychosocial history, mental status examination, diagnostic interview focused on drug and alcohol use, abuse, or dependence, and responsivity indicators including motivation and readiness for change. Diagnoses and treatment recommendations are included as well as relevant supervision strategies.
• Psychological Assessment Includes a psychosocial history, mental status examination, more comprehensive diagnostic interview, psychological testing as indicated, responsivity indicators, and a biopsychosocial case formulation. Treatment recommendations are included as well as relevant supervision strategies.
• Dual Diagnosis Assessment A comprehensive synthesis of the drug and alcohol assessment and psychological assessment including information regarding the interaction between drug/alcohol use and co-occurring mental health or personality disorders.
• Lethality Assessments and Crisis Intervention Emergency intervention to determine the risk of suicide/homicide or to manage a crisis and resolve the urgent situation through de-escalation, hospitalization, or other appropriate plans of action.
• Case Staffing and Consultation Discussions between clinical staff and the courts, community supervision staff, or providers focused on making treatment or other dispositional decisions. These may involve specific clients or more general approaches. An example is consulting regarding placement on the Mental Illness/Mental Retardation (MIMR) caseload, a specialized supervision caseload managed by specially trained CSO’s. The Assessment Department is subdivided into specialty teams that focus on special issues or work exclusively with a specialty problem-solving court. These include the following:
  • Jail Evaluation Team This group conducts evaluations, both substance abuse and psychological, with clients who are incarcerated. They may be pre - or post-sentence clients. These forensic evaluations emphasize risk assessment including the general risk for recidivism but also more specific concerns for dangerousness and absconding. Referrals are generated directly from the courts.
  • CSCD Assessment Center Team Assessors in this group conduct pre-sentence evaluations in collaboration with the risk and needs assessments by CSOs.
  • Problem-Solving Courts Team Dallas County CSCD partners with the judiciary to serve the Dallas community through several problem-solving courts. These programs generally use the drug-court model and utilize a team approach in which treatment services are integrated with case management and intensive judicial monitoring. ATRS has responded to the increasing prevalence and clinical needs of these specialty programs through its direct referral process. These courts are designed to address the legal problems and treatment needs of specific target populations. They include a substance abuse diversion court, felony and misdemeanor mental health diversion courts, a court focusing on felony prostitution, courts targeting felony and misdemeanor DWI, an intensive interventions court, and a court designed to address the special needs of clients with co-occurring disorders.

The Counseling Services division of ATRS provides counseling interventions to probationers through groups and individual sessions, including work with families. A variety of outpatient counseling services is offered including the following:

• Intensive Outpatient Group (IOP)
• Dual Diagnosis Group (for those with co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse use disorders)
• Anger Management Group
• Individual Counseling

Counselors are located at each of the CSCD's seven satellite offices and at the Frank Crowley Courthouse. As with assessment staff, counselors also serve as team members in the various problem-solving courts and programs including the following:

• STAR
• PRIDE
• 4C (SAFPF / TTC)
• DDC Aftercare
• STAC / IIP
• DIVERT

Contract Residential Services also provide for community-based residential drug/alcohol treatment through several local agencies (i.e., Homeward Bound, Nexus Recovery Center, and the Salvation Army). Treatment consists of forty-five to ninety days of intensive/supportive residential treatment. CSCD and ATRS also directly participate in the management and operational activities of a Dual Diagnosis Center, Judicial Treatment Center, and has access to Intermediate Sanctions Facilities (ISF) and Substance Abuse Felony Punishment Facility (SAFPF).

• To be eligible for ATRS services, you must be referred by a court or supervision officer in Dallas County.
• Upon assessment and referral from ATRS, you may apply for reduced or waived treatment costs if able to provide proof of indigence within a specified time frame.

ATRS Reception Number:  (214) 653-2862

Business Hours:  Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Location:

Frank Crowley Criminal Courts Building
133 N. Riverfront Boulevard
9th Floor
Dallas, TX 75207