Designing Alternative Courts to Address Behavioral Health and Quality-of-Life Challenges
City: Medford, Oregon
Reporting to: Municipal Court Judge
The Challenge
The City of Medford tries to balance compassion with accountability in its approach to street homelessness. For example, the Medford Police Department’s “Livability Team” brings together law enforcement, code enforcement, and social service partners, with a goal of connecting unsheltered individuals with housing resources, treatment, services, and community support while ensuring that public spaces remain safe and accessible for all residents.
The city is bringing a similar approach to its courts. In 2024, the Medford Municipal Court launched a special program for unsheltered and vulnerable individuals engaged with the justice system. Known as Outreach Court, the program brings the courtroom out to homeless shelters once a month, making it easier for individuals to make their court date. Punitive measures like fines or incarceration are replaced by alternative sentencing options such as participation in rehabilitation. About one hundred people a month participate. Another program allows eligible defendants to have charges or citations suspended contingent on participation in treatment, counseling, or service programs. These initiatives reflect the court’s commitment to a problem-solving approach to justice that emphasizes rehabilitation rather than bouncing individuals around in the justice system.
Now, Medford is considering expanding upon this approach. Mayor Michael Zarosinski wants to explore the feasibility of adding a new Mental Health Court and Livability Court over the coming years to address cases related to behavioral health and quality-of-life challenges. These courts will serve distinct but complementary roles by matching cases to the level and type of intervention needed. Through the mayor’s participation in the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative, city leaders are utilizing data to better understand where public safety resources are concentrated and why, to improve safety in the downtown corridor. They hope to keep evolving the Municipal Court’s capacity to not just adjudicate cases efficiently but also to address root causes of social problems, promote equitable outcomes, and enhance overall community wellbeing.
Key questions include:
- What are the current programs, staffing levels, and operational practices within the Medford Municipal Court, and where are the gaps or opportunities for improvement?
- What are the resources, staffing, and structural requirements for establishing a Mental Health Court and a Livability Court?
- How can data from court operations, citations, and service connections inform equitable and effective program design for specialized courts?
- What are the potential community impacts, including public safety, accessibility, and equity considerations, of implementing specialized courts?
What You’ll Do
The summer fellow will evaluate existing Municipal Court programs as they relate to addressing homelessness, behavioral health challenges, and quality-of-life issues, and provide data-driven recommendations for innovative court programs. The fellow will develop an actionable plan for implementing specialized courts such as a Mental Health Court and a Livability Court, outlining staffing, operational requirements, and equity considerations. This will involve analyzing new troves of court data gathered through the city’s Bloomberg Harvard engagement, as well as field work observing how the Police Livability Team, Medford’s existing alternative courts, and similar courts in other Oregon cities operate. It also will involve engaging with key internal stakeholders including judges, clerks, and case managers at the Municipal Court, as well as relevant city departments such as Police, Code Enforcement, and Administration. External stakeholders include local nonprofits supporting the unhoused, community-based providers of housing, behavioral health, and substance treatment services, and other municipal courts in Oregon that have similar initiatives.
Key deliverables include:
- A comprehensive report summarizing findings, analyses, and recommendations, including an inventory and operational summary of current programs, gaps, and opportunities.
- A strategic implementation plan for a potential Mental Health Court and Livability Court, including staffing, operational, and resource needs and equity considerations.
- Presentations for city leadership and stakeholders, including a slide deck and briefing materials.
What You’ll Bring
The fellow will be expected to possess the following skills:
- Data Analysis
- Design Thinking
- Policy Analysis
- Project Management
- Human Centered Design
- Will Require CJIS Clearance
