Advancing Iowa’s Treatment Courts: Insights from the State Treatment Court Coordinator

Justice Speaks Podcast #81

In this episode, Justice Speaks continues its series exploring the role of the State Treatment Court Coordinator. This episode is sponsored by Reconnect.

Justice Speaks features Mr. Richard Gordon, the Statewide Treatment Court Coordinator for Iowa, who provides a comprehensive overview of the opportunities and persistent challenges facing Iowa’s treatment court system.

About Richard Gordon, Iowa’s State Treatment Court Coordinator

Mr. Gordon shares that he is originally from Southern Indiana but moved to Florida when his father accepted a new job there. He began his legal career as a defense attorney in Florida. Over time, his growing interest in collaborative justice and behavioral health interventions led him to transition into the treatment court field—a shift that ultimately shaped the direction of his career. After serving in Florida, Mr. Gordon became the Statewide Treatment Court Coordinator for Maine. He later relocated to Iowa, where he now serves as the sole statewide coordinator for treatment courts.

Treatment Courts in Iowa

He outlines the structure of Iowa’s criminal treatment court system, which includes adult drug courts, mental health courts, juvenile drug courts, veterans’ treatment courts, and an impaired driving court. As the sole coordinator, funded through the state’s general fund, Mr. Gordon provides administrative oversight for each of these models. He notes that three adult drug courts have recently received impaired driving foundational training and are now working to implement impaired driving tracks—an important step in addressing the needs of specialized offender populations.

Mr. Gordon also addresses the critical issue of funding. He discusses a recently introduced licensing tax on tobacco shops and paraphernalia, which was originally projected to generate significant revenue to support treatment courts but has yielded far less than expected.

Advancing Iowa’s Treatment Courts 

Despite these funding challenges, Mr. Gordon describes recent progress. The Iowa Supreme Court has adopted a formal application process for jurisdictions seeking to establish new treatment courts. He anticipates that at least three additional courts will launch in the coming year. Local stakeholders continue to drive innovation and program expansion, even in the absence of substantial state funding. Mr. Gordon emphasizes the need for a statewide convening and training initiative to foster continued education and collaboration, and he expresses interest in developing regional partnerships to enhance impact and efficiency.

He also highlights the importance of education and outreach to combat persistent misconceptions about treatment courts, noting that many remain unaware of their evidence-based success.

Mr. Gordon discusses the creation of the Iowa Treatment Court Association, a significant step toward unifying and supporting courts statewide. Through this organization, his office has been able to provide symbolic and functional items such as graduation coins, undated planners, wristbands, and flags for veterans’ treatment courts. He also underscores the value of adopting national best practices, particularly those promoted by All Rise, and notes the success of sending Iowa judges to national training events to further enhance their knowledge and application of treatment court principles.

Conclusion

Finally, Mr. Gordon acknowledges that access to treatment services in rural areas remains a notable challenge. He outlines plans for a pilot project focused on improving transportation options for court participants, recognizing that reliable access to treatment and court services is essential for long-term success. He also stresses the value of the mentor court model, citing the effectiveness of established courts such as the one in Jacksonville, Florida, which serve as national examples of innovation and fidelity to evidence-based practices.

We thank Mr. Gordon for sharing his unique experiences and for his commitment to advancing treatment courts and reshaping the criminal justice system in Iowa. We also extend our thanks to Reconnect for sponsoring this episode.