Beaverton Sobriety Opportunity for Beginning Recovery (B-SOBR)- Beaverton, OR

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Project at a Glance

  • Issue Area Community-police relations, Health equity, Social services
  • Engagement Approaches Visioning/ strategic planning
Project Description

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Beaverton Sobriety Opportunity for Beginning Recovery (B-SOBR)

Rationale

Driving under the Influence of Intoxicants (DUII) costs millions of dollars in Oregon each year. Each month, about 3% of Oregon adults report driving after having too much to drink, and about 15% of Oregon youth rode with a parent or adult who had been drinking. There are more than 1,000 alcohol-related deaths annually in Oregon. One-third of all motor vehicle fatalities involve alcohol. In Washington County, 42% of motor vehicle fatalities involved alcohol between 2006 and 2010.  

Faced with a burgeoning number of DUII citations, the Beaverton Municipal Court launched the B-SOBR program in 2011. 

Goal

Decrease DUI cases and motor vehicle fatalities involving alcohol.

Project Summary

The B-SOBR program is an intensive Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) outpatient court program for repeat DUI offenders. The B-SOBR program started in Beaverton Oregon in 2011 and handles approximately 600 DUI cases each year. The program combines a number of resources for alcoholics, including: weekly meetings with a case worker; regular court appearances; random urinalysis; unscheduled police visits at home; detection bracelets; required Alcoholics Anonymous attendance; and documentation of recovery progress. 

B-SOBR, the first and only evidence-based practice (EBP) DUII court in Oregon, is designed to treat individuals whose drinking and drug use is beyond their control but who continue to drive motor vehicles. B-SOBR participants agree to strict conditions in exchange for remaining out of jail, including regular reports to court, communication with a Case Manager, sobriety and urine tests, wearing an alcohol monitoring bracelet, committing to Alcoholics Anonymous or a similar program, a search for employment, and random check-ins from Beaverton police officers.  

B-SOBR’s target population consists of high-risk, high-needs individuals whose drinking or drug use is beyond their control and who continue to drive motor vehicles. Typically, the target population will have social histories hallmarked by prior contacts with law enforcement, previous exposure to alcohol/drug treatment and a history of relapse. Through effective intervention, B-SOBR transitions participants from addicted persons to productive community members, capable of meeting the challenges of recovery and adult life.  

Eligible offenders charged with DUII receive a pre-trial plea offer designating the B-SOBR program as an alternative to a sentence recommendation of six or more month’s incarceration. B-SOBR is utilized at the discretion of the court in probation violation matters. The B-SOBR team consists of the Judge, Prosecutor, Public Defender, Case Manager, police, and treatment provider.   

B-SOBR is a three-year regimen that can extend up to five years. B-SOBR is divided into four phases: Probation, Stabilization, Practice, and Extension. The phases last from 3-12 months, depending on the participant’s progress. Each participant meets with the Judge at least twice a month in Phase I, once a month in Phases II and III, and every other month in Phase IV.  

The B-SOBR program follows EBPs for case management and strives to provide a continuum of care and services across the treatment and justice systems, while providing community resources where necessary for job, education and social support. Each participant must attend and actively participate in a carefully monitored 12-step type program of their choice (approved by the court). B-SOBR treatment services include early intervention services, detoxification services, intensive outpatient services, halfway houses, therapeutic community services, and medication-assisted treatment when necessary.  

B-SOBR participants’ abstinence is monitored by the Case Manager, treatment provider, random observed UAs, and use of the Secure Continuous Remote Alcohol Monitor (SCRAM) bracelet, which must be worn for at least 90 days. Five Beaverton police officers are assigned to supervise B-SOBR clients and conduct surprise check-ins at participants’ homes. All participants are required to sign up for the Oregon Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, which allows the B-SOBR team to access medication prescribed and filled, as well as prescriber information.

Engagement Strategies

The program came from a community desire in the Visioning Plan to provide high quality public services to maintain a safe and resilient community. Participants of the B-SOBR program provide feedback to ensure the program is working best for its participants, families and the community.  

Outcomes

The B-SOBR program has been effective at helping repeat DUII offenders overcome the obstacle of alcoholism. Since the program’s launch in 2011, 82 participants have completed B-SOBR. So far, only one of its graduates has re-offended. By 2014, DUII cases in Beaverton had fallen from 649 in 2011 to 363 (a reduction of 44%). In September 2014, B-SOBR received the League of Oregon Cities 2014 Award for Excellence, which recognizes innovative approaches to urban challenges. The B-SOBR program continues to make great strides in helping offenders overcome their issues with hopes of expanding capacity to serve more people.   

Timeline of ProjectSince 2011
Initiator: City of Beaverton
Cost of Project: $125,000 annually
Additional Resources:
B-SOBR program and testimonials
Beaverton, OR– 2018 AAC Finalist: Presentation
Local Contact:
Kevin Boone, Case Manager
E-Mail: kboone@beavertonoregon.gov
Phone: 503-526-2369
Address: 4755 SW Griffith Drive
Beaverton, OR 97005 (Municipal Courts) 

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