Austin Community Court Pilot Expands Access to Court Services Through Community Partnerships

Austin Community Court recently piloted a Court Navigation Training Mini-Grant program designed to connect more individuals with court services by training case managers and outreach staff from partner organizations about court navigation processes. The pilot was developed in partnership with Austin Budget and Organizational Excellence to explore new ways for the City of Austin to formally partner with and support local community organizations, as directed in Resolution 20240530-112.

The program equipped service providers who work closely with individuals experiencing homelessness and others who have outstanding cases or warrants at Austin Community Court and Austin Municipal Court with the knowledge and tools to help clients address those cases. By meeting people where they already access services in the community, the approach leverages trusted relationships between organizations and the people they serve, helping remove barriers and improve equitable access to court services.

Fourteen $2,500 grants were awarded to organizations that participated in the Court Navigation Training, helped clients check for open cases and warrants during a two-month service period, and provided feedback to help the City understand successes and opportunities to improve partnerships with community organizations. Six participating organizations were first-time City funding recipients, reflecting the program’s intentional design to make City partnerships more accessible to smaller community organizations.

Court Navigation Training Results:

• 14 organizations participated.
• 41 outreach and case management staff received Court Navigation Training.
• Performance from organizations during the two-month service window:
  • 692 court case checks were conducted.
  • 257 cases were identified through court case checks.
  • 57 individuals were directly connected to Austin Community Court to work toward resolving their cases.
• Training participants reported strong gains in knowledge and confidence, with nearly nine in ten (87%) saying they feel comfortable directing all the people they serve to Austin Community Court to resolve outstanding cases.

“Austin Community Court is focused on removing barriers and improving equitable access to services for people navigating difficult circumstances,” said Robert Kingham, Court Administrator for Austin Community Court. “This pilot allowed us to meet people where they already receive support by working alongside trusted community partners. By helping individuals check their case status and address cases early, we can prevent warrants being issued and help resolve existing warrants, reducing disruptions that often make it harder for people working to move out of homelessness.”

Even when individuals learned they did not have cases through Austin Community Court, partners reported the process was still valuable. Many clients expressed relief after receiving clear information about their case status, which reduced uncertainty and helped them move forward with housing and service plans.

Organizations also reported that clients were more willing to check their case status and discuss court matters when the information came from a trusted service provider they already had a relationship with, rather than directly from a government agency.

“Knowing we were partnering directly with Community Court gave our clients more confidence. They felt like there was at least one court that wasn’t fighting against them,” shared one partner organization during the pilot debrief. Partners also noted the ease of the City’s partnership process. “The application, notification, and MOU were all smooth. This was one of the easiest City processes we’ve gone through,” one organization shared. Another partner added, “Having direct staff contacts who were responsive made this feel like a real partnership, not just a transaction.”

“We’re incredibly grateful to the organizations who partnered with us,” Kingham added. “With a modest investment, this program gave service providers another tool to support their clients while extending the reach of Austin Community Court far beyond our doors. It’s a powerful example of how partnering with organizations that have built trust in the community can connect more people with the services they need.”

The program was designed as a learning opportunity to explore new approaches to City partnerships and service delivery. Insights from the program may help inform future efforts to collaborate with community organizations and expand equitable access to services.

For more about Austin Community Court, please visit www.austintexas.gov/communitycourt.