The Pretrial Services Program is for adults with substance use or mental health treatment needs who are going through the court process and awaiting final case resolution. The service may be ordered by the court or through self-referral.  A person’s refusal to engage cannot result in a new charge or in a violation of conditions of release.

​​

The Pretrial Services Program offers two tiers of support for individuals charged with a crime in Vermont:

 

​Screenings – Pretrial Service Coordinators provide voluntary screenings to individuals cited or arrested for certain offenses. The Risk Assessment screening asks about criminal history, and the Needs Assessment screening asks about mental health and substance use.  Assessment results are shared with the prosecutor and cannot be used against a defendant to prove guilt. The objective of these screenings is to obtain a preliminary indication of whether a person has a substance use or mental health issue that warrants a clinical assessment.

 

​Pretrial Services – Once screened, participants are referred to substance use, mental health, and other supportive community-based services while they are going through the court process and awaiting final case resolution.

​​

Regarding confidentiality: As this is a court-ordered program, staff can only share whether or not the individual participated in a clinical assessment, and if treatment with a clinician and engagement with Pretrial Services are recommended. No other information may be shared.