STEP Court marks two years of providing resources, housing, and a path to recovery

July 27, 2026 10:51 AM
by City of Santa Monica

“I feel more alive. I'm not just surviving anymore, I'm living. We're living.” – Stephanie, 2024 STEP Court graduate

“This program … helped me get connected to the right resources and people to get back on my feet. These people truly empathize with you.” – Daniel, 2025 STEP Court graduate

For the past two and a half years, Santa Monica’s Shelter, Treatment, and Empowerment Program, known as STEP Court, has offered justice-involved individuals an alternative path.

The Santa Monica City Attorney’s Office (CAO) launched STEP Court in January 2024 in partnership with the Los Angeles County Superior Court, the Los Angeles County Public Defender’s Office, the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, and Exodus Recovery, Inc., with the goal of reducing recidivism and offering a path into housing and treatment – and out of the criminal justice system.

STEP Court participants are matched with a case manager who assesses their individual needs, makes recommendations for the appropriate services based on those needs, and creates a 90-day care management plan. If an individual successfully completes everything in their plan, the CAO will dismiss the misdemeanor charges against them.

Since its inception, 29 individuals have graduated from STEP Court, and the CAO has dismissed 58 criminal cases, placing individuals on the path to long-term recovery and stability.

And each of those graduates is a person whose life has been forever changed.

STEP Court has steadily grown over the past two years, with increases in referrals aiming to streamline access to social services, address recidivism, and ultimately reduce homelessness. In the past six months, CAO staff have observed an especially sharp increase in referrals, which they attribute to the city’s Realignment Plan and its increased focus on enforcement, consistent with the strategic priority of Achieving Clean Streets and Safe Neighborhoods.

STEP Court is part of the CAO's justice system diversion work, alongside SaMo Bridge, which also aims to interrupt cycles of arrest and connect individuals to care.

The diversion programs work in tandem toward the city’s advancement of new public safety and homelessness response strategies.

Learn more about STEP Court and Santa Monica's other diversion programs.

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City of Santa Monica

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