Building Better Treatment Courts in Oregon with Ms. Rachael Mark

Justice Speaks Podcast #88

In this episode, Justice Speaks continues its series on state specialty courts and the leaders who help guide their growth and effectiveness. This episode is sponsored by Reconnect and features Ms. Rachael Mark, a Treatment Court Analyst with the Oregon Judicial Department (OJD), who supports more than seventy treatment courts across the state.

About Rachael Mark

Ms. Mark has dedicated more than two decades to advancing problem-solving courts and improving justice outcomes in Oregon. After earning degrees in Spanish and criminal justice, she began her career with the Washington County Juvenile Drug Treatment Court as a case aide. That position introduced her to the collaborative model of treatment courts and the importance of combining accountability with compassion. Over sixteen years, she advanced to program coordinator, gaining extensive experience in case management, judicial collaboration, and community partnerships. Today, as a Treatment Court Analyst for OJD, Ms. Mark leads statewide efforts to strengthen treatment courts through training, evaluation, and data-driven support. Her work focuses on helping court teams implement best practices, sustain evidence-based programs, and promote systemic improvement across Oregon.

Oregon’s Treatment Courts

Ms. Mark described the structure and purpose of Oregon’s treatment court network, explaining that her team provides training, technical assistance, and program evaluations for more than seventy courts, ensuring that each operates in accordance with national standards. She works closely with the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission to coordinate legislative efforts and measure program outcomes. One of her key initiatives has been the rebuilding of the Juvenile Drug Treatment Court Training Curriculum, which integrates current research with practical application. Ms. Mark emphasized that the ultimate goal of every training is to ensure that “what we teach translates into what happens in the courtroom.” By maintaining a strong connection between research and implementation, Oregon continues to enhance the quality, consistency, and integrity of its treatment courts.

Training Oregon’s Treatment Courts

Ms. Mark outlined a range of training opportunities available to Oregon’s treatment court teams, including coordinator summits, judicial training programs, and a unique incentive camp designed to deepen understanding of behavior-based incentives and sanctions. These programs provide practitioners with the tools to apply the principles of therapeutic jurisprudence and to maintain fidelity to established best practices. She also discussed Oregon’s ongoing commitment to improving data collection and program evaluation, noting that reliable data enables courts to measure outcomes accurately and advocate more effectively for sustainable funding. The Oregon Judicial Department remains the primary funding source for treatment courts in the state, though additional resources are drawn from various agencies and grants.

During the conversation, Ms. Mark compared Oregon’s funding structure with those in other states. She noted particular interest in Texas’s liquor tax funding model, which dedicates a portion of mixed beverage tax revenue to specialty courts, providing a stable and predictable source of support. Ms. Mark indicated that she intends to research whether a similar approach could be adopted in Oregon to strengthen long-term funding for treatment court operations statewide.

Moving Forward in Oregon

The discussion also explored innovative directions for Oregon’s treatment court system. Ms. Mark described the hub-and-spoke model currently in development, designed to link local programs with regional resources and ensure consistent training and technical support for smaller jurisdictions. She expressed particular interest in Michigan’s regional veterans treatment court system, which could serve as a model for Oregon’s efforts to expand access and coordination. Ms. Mark emphasized that while sound policy and reliable funding are essential, the success of treatment courts ultimately depends on the dedication of their professionals. “It’s the people on the ground, the coordinators, the judges, the treatment providers, who make this work,” she stated. “Our role is to give them the tools and the support to continue doing it well.”

Conclusion

Throughout the conversation, Ms. Mark emphasized the importance of continuous professional development, strong partnerships, and innovation in sustaining effective treatment courts. Oregon’s programs continue to evolve through data-driven strategies, interagency collaboration, and a shared commitment to improving lives through accountability and rehabilitation. By combining her extensive experience as a local court coordinator with her current leadership role at the statewide level, Ms. Rachael Mark exemplifies how dedication, expertise, and innovation can strengthen treatment court systems and enhance justice outcomes across an entire state.

We wish to thank Ms. Rachael Mark for sharing her insights and experiences on Justice Speaks. We also wish to thank Reconnect for sponsoring this podcast episode