Like many Pennsylvania counties, Bucks County has recognized that a significant portion of the people cycling through its jail system are there primarily because of untreated mental illness or substance use disorder — not because they represent a genuine public safety risk that requires incarceration. In response, Bucks County has developed several diversion and specialty court programs that offer alternatives to traditional criminal prosecution and incarceration for qualifying individuals.
Bucks County Drug Court
Bucks County operates a Drug Treatment Court — a specialized court docket that diverts people charged with drug-related and drug-driven offenses into a structured treatment program as an alternative to standard prosecution and incarceration. Drug Court participants appear regularly before the Drug Court judge, submit to drug testing, complete substance abuse treatment, and follow a graduated series of requirements that build toward program completion.
Successful completion of Drug Court results in reduced charges or dismissal of charges — providing a legal incentive for participation. Failure to comply — relapsing and continuing use, missing court dates, or dropping from treatment — results in return to standard prosecution. The research evidence on Drug Court effectiveness is generally positive: participants who complete the program have lower recidivism rates than comparable people who went through standard prosecution.
Eligibility for Bucks County Drug Court is not automatic. The District Attorney's office, the defense attorney, and the court evaluate each potential participant against defined eligibility criteria. People with violent prior records or violent current charges may not be eligible. The process of referral typically begins at arraignment or shortly after through the public defender's office or private counsel.
Mental Health Court
Bucks County also operates a Mental Health Court — a specialty docket for people whose criminal charges are directly related to untreated serious mental illness. Mental Health Court participants work with case managers, treatment providers, and the court to establish a treatment plan, maintain medication compliance, and access stable housing as an alternative to incarceration.
Mental Health Court recognizes that standard prosecution and incarceration for people with serious mental illness often makes the underlying condition worse — disrupting treatment, eliminating medication continuity, and returning people to the community in worse mental health than when they were arrested. The court model attempts to address the underlying mental health need rather than simply punishing the behavioral symptom.
The Sequential Intercept Model in Bucks County
Bucks County has adopted elements of the Sequential Intercept Model (SIM) — a nationally recognized framework for identifying people with mental illness and substance use disorders at each stage of the criminal justice system and connecting them to treatment rather than incarceration. The SIM identifies six intercept points:
- Intercept 0: Community — before any law enforcement contact
- Intercept 1: Law enforcement response (crisis intervention team training)
- Intercept 2: Initial detention and initial hearings
- Intercept 3: Jails, courts, forensic evaluations
- Intercept 4: Reentry from jails and hospitals
- Intercept 5: Community corrections and community support
Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training for Bucks County law enforcement — a 40-hour program that trains officers to respond to mental health crises through de-escalation rather than arrest — is part of the county's Intercept 1 effort.
For Families: How to Access These Programs
Diversion to Drug Court or Mental Health Court is not automatic — it requires an active application process. The defense attorney plays the critical role:
- If your loved one has a substance use disorder driving their charge, ask the public defender or private attorney about Drug Court eligibility immediately
- If your loved one has a documented serious mental illness, ask about Mental Health Court referral
- The Bucks County Behavioral Health System (buckscounty.gov/behavioralhealth) can connect families to treatment resources inside and outside the jail
Bucks County Correctional Facility: 1730 South Easton Road, Doylestown, PA 18902. Phone: (215) 348-6800. Bucks County Behavioral Health: (215) 348-6120.