§62-15-7. Treatment and support services.

(a) As part of any diagnostic assessments, the individual assessment should make specific recommendations to the drug court team regarding the type of treatment program and duration necessary so that a drug offender's individualized needs can be addressed. These assessments and resulting recommendations should be based upon objective medical diagnostic criteria. Treatment recommendations accepted by the court, pursuant to the provisions of this article, shall be deemed to be reasonable and necessary.

(b) A drug court making a referral for substance abuse treatment shall refer the drug offender to a program that is licensed, certified, or approved by the court.

(c) The court shall determine which treatment programs are authorized to provide the recommended treatment to drug offenders. The relationship between the treatment program and the court should be governed by a Memorandum of Understanding, which should include the timely reporting of the drug offender's progress or lack thereof to the drug court.

(d)It is essential to provide offenders with adequate support services and aftercare.

(e) Recognizing that drug offenders are frequently dually diagnosed, appropriate services should be made available, where practicable.

(f) Recognizing that the longer a drug offender stays in treatment, the better the outcome, the length of stay in treatment should be determined by the drug court team based on individual needs and accepted practices: Provided, That drug court participation shall not be less than one year duration.