Atlanta Municipal Court Chief Judge Christopher Portis has ordered the start of a Homeless Court Program that will include a combination of prescribed treatment, judicial monitoring and coordinated services.

"We recognize that being mired in the criminal justice system is an obstacle to reclaiming your life and living lawfully," Portis said in a news release Wednesday. "We aim to see homeless individuals who are actively engaged in the court program return to the community, after treatment, as valued members."

Portis signed a standing administrative order Tuesday creating what's billed as a problem-solving court similar to those growing around the state for those charged with crimes related to alcohol and drug addiction, mental health issues, delinquent child support payments and family violence.

The new homeless court will handle minor offenses that are "often associated with or committed as a result of homelessness," the order said. Those include, but are not limited to, charges of: pedestrian in the roadway, pedestrian soliciting rides or business, monetary solicitations, pedestrian obstructing traffic, criminal trespass and occupation of a vacant or abandoned building.

The level of supervision may be open to the court's discretion, up to and including daily check-ins for a prescribed period. The program will be run daily through a collaboration of court divisions, including Restore Atlanta.

The new program will be similar to homeless courts operating in other parts of the country, the judge said. The program is based on the American Bar Association's seven guiding principles for homeless courts, which include a combination of prescribed treatment, judicial monitoring, coordinated services, as well as enhanced communication among the various stakeholders.

In addition to aiding the homeless, the new court program will provide a range of support services to address commonly associated challenges such as mental illness and drug abuse, Portis said. He reiterated the municipal court's dedication to providing continuous quality programming to address the multipronged issues of homelessness with the intent to build and enhance public safety.