Drug Treatment Court of Vancouver

The Drug Treatment Court of Vancouver (DTCV) is an alternative to mainstream court that provides integrated correctional interventions, justice services and health treatment services to people living with addictions on the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver.

Participation in the DTCV is voluntary. It requires that participants take part in a supervised, 14- to 16-month, intensive day-treatment program.

A team of probation officers, addictions counsellors, health care workers and an employment assistance worker collaborate to address participants’ complex needs.

Probation officers deliver case management and planning for clients enrolled in DTCV. In addition to identifying risk factors and intervention strategies, they also take part in outreach programs with integrated care team staff.

An evaluation of this program found it reduced drug-related recidivism by 50% over a two-year period.