Human Services and Public Health Department (HSPHD) has a well-established and successful Restorative Court in the City of Minneapolis. The City of Bloomington is working with HSPHD to launch a Restorative Court, modeled after the City of Minneapolis Restorative Court, to begin June 1, 2022.

The purpose of the Restorative Court is to employ a holistic justice model to restore individuals to good health and promote law abiding behavior. Participation is voluntarily. The mental health social worker provides triage, assessment, and connection to services and supports that address the participant’s mental health, substance use, and social determinant of health needs. Interventions may include establishing food, cash or health insurance benefits; connecting to mental health and substance use disorder services; housing, employment or other resources that increase the stability and functioning of the individua in the community. Participants who actively participate in Restorative Court may result in a favorable outcome, including and up to reducing or resolving the charges, in addition to the enhanced stability and functioning for the individual.

Disparity Reduction: This funding assists in reducing disparities as participants in restorative court are disproportionately residents who are black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC).