As a result of the physical distancing required by the Maine state government, drug court procedures have radically changed. Court sessions, treatment, and recovery meetings have moved online, observed drug testing and in-person check-ins have been suspended, and more.

At the end of May, we began conducting intensive research with Maine Adult Drug Courts to document these new practices and how they are experienced by participants in drug courts and the teams that lead them.

We observed drug court zoom sessions and interviewing drug court professional team members, and participants.

On March 26, 2021, we completed a report documenting the changes during COVID remote court.

Recommendations:

• Be transparent and honest with participants about drug test regimes.
• Train and provide Narcan to all participants and team members.
• Utilize stable Zoom link for court and treatment sessions.
• Continue the use of remote access to improve overall access to Maine’s ADTCs, especially for people with transportation and employment barriers.
• Continue and encourage the use of online recovery meeting spaces to broaden access to recovery support services.
• Ensure that client information remains confidential.
• Eliminate jail as a sanction.