Archive for category Drug Court
Adult Drug Court To Benefit From Residential Treatment Grant
Posted by Michael in Administration, Drug Court, Media, News Release, Specialty Courts on October 26th, 2009
Local Non-Profits to Partner with Court to Expand Treatment Options
LAS VEGAS – The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has awarded the Eighth Judicial District Court an $885,960 grant to expand residential treatment options for participants in the Adult Drug Court. The money will improve efforts to retain participants in the Adult Drug Court program, reduce recidivism, and reduce overcrowding in the local jail. The District Court will use the three-year grant to partner with local non-profit organizations to place more individuals into residential or day treatment services.
“Southern Nevada is in desperate need of funding for residential substance abuse and mental health treatment beds. This grant will provide a much needed resource to our community for those people who are extremely addicted to illegal drugs and prescription drugs,” said Judge Jackie Glass. “The court can now assist more individuals that require an intensive treatment program in order to break their cycle of drug addiction.”
The three-year grant will provide $295,320 a year to extend appropriate treatment options to participants when residential treatment beds are fully occupied, protect the community by addressing drug addition and reduce the number of drug offenders sitting in the jail seeking treatment.
SAMHSA is a public health agency within the Department of Health and Human Services responsible for improving substance abuse prevention. Considered as a model court, the District Court’s Adult Drug Court was established in 1992 to provide supervision and treatment for individuals addicted to drugs. When the Adult Drug Court was created, only four Drug Courts operated across the nation.
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Model Drug Court Provides Way to Keep Families Together During Treatment
Posted by Michael in CourtTV, Criminal, District Court, Drug Court, Family Court, Specialty Courts, Trial on August 13th, 2009
The Clark County Courts have been working with the federal government since March 2008 to develop a new drug court that allows mothers to avoid jail and obtain treatment. The unique aspect of this story is the mothers live with their children in a residential treatment program at WestCare. The court will honor a graduate at 1 p.m. on Friday (Aug. 14) and seven more mothers are preparing to graduate. This program not only keeps families together but reduces the cost of incarceration in the Clark County Detention Center or a Nevada State Prison.
WHAT: A new graduate of the Dependency Mothers’ Drug Court will be recognized.
WHEN: 1 p.m., Friday (August 14).
WHERE: Westcare, 5659 Duncan Dr, Las Vegas, (Off Rancho and Duncan).
EVENT: Since March 2008 the Clark County Courts have participated as a model court in a new federal program that works to help mothers become drug free in a unique residential treatment program. The Dependency Mothers’ Drug Court was established to assist women who have child custody issues due to their addiction to methamphetamine or other substances.
The residential treatment program is unique in that mothers and their children live together while receiving treatment. The Dependency Mothers’ Drug Court provides a positive alternative to incarceration that rehabilitates and strengthens families, breaks the cycle of drug use and enhances family reunification efforts.
The first graduate of this program will be honored. In addition, the court has seven additional mothers preparing for graduation. This event will recognize the achievements of these mothers and introduce this important program to the community.
CONTACT: Michael Sommermeyer, Court Information Officer, (702) 671-4534.
Drug Court Graduation Features 500th Drug-Free Baby
Posted by Michael in Administration, District Court, Drug Court, Events, Specialty Courts on May 13th, 2009
WHAT: Drug Court Judge Jennifer Elliott will honor graduates from the Court’s various Drug Courts, as well as the mother of the court’s 500th Drug Free Baby.
WHERE: Choices Group Inc., 800 South Valley View Boulevard, Las Vegas.
WHEN: 12:30 p.m. Friday (May 15).
EVENT: Choices Group, the substance abuse treatment services provider for the Clark County Courts, will host a Drug Court graduation for individuals who have successfully completed various Drug Court programs. In addition, the court will honor a mother in the dependency drug court program who gave birth to the court’s 500th Drug–Free Baby. The dependency drug court strives to help expectant mothers remain drug-free and encourage them to receive pre-natal care for their babies.
Judge Jennifer Elliot Selected To Serve As Drug Court Judge
Posted by Michael in Administration, Chief Judge, District Court, Drug Court, Family Court on November 6th, 2008
A therapist and judge will soon provide therapeutic justice to individuals in the Drug Courts of the Eighth Judicial District Court.
Chief Judge Kathy A. Hardcastle has assigned Family Court Judge Jennifer Elliott to serve as the Eighth Judicial District Court’s Adult Drug Court Judge, effective Nov. 12. In addition to her Family Court responsibilities, Elliott will preside over the Adult Criminal Drug Court, the Prison Re-entry Drug Court and the Dependency Mother’s Drug Court.
Judge Hardcastle indicated that placing a sitting judge and preparing for expansion in drug court has been a priority for the court. “Expanding the use of the Drug Courts is good public policy,” Hardcastle said.
Judge Elliott has been a licensed attorney in Nevada since 1986, and was a licensed marriage and family therapist in Nevada, graduating from University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 1998 with a masters of science in counseling, before taking the bench in 2002.
”I am honored that Chief Judge Hardcastle and Chief-Elect Art Ritchie have the confidence in me and my judicial record to place me in charge of Drug Court, which has over 600 participants,” said Judge Elliott. “There were less than five drug courts when Judge Jack Lehman pioneered Clark County’s first Drug Court in the early 1990’s, and now there are over 2,700 drug courts nationwide. This is because drug courts work to reduce the number of days in jail and reduce state and county costs through a reduction in the drug seeking behavior and related crimes of drug abuse.”
The District Court’s Adult Drug Court program is available as a sentencing option to defendants with a drug addiction. The court program mandates sobriety and advocates treatment over incarceration for those willing to change. Individuals accepted into the program must abstain from all drugs, including alcohol, and attend counseling sessions and weekly court sessions for at least one year.
Currently more than 600 individuals are enrolled in the Adult Criminal Drug Court, which has expanded to three days a week at the Regional Justice Center. In order to share courtrooms, Judge Elliott will conduct in-custody drug court hearings via video conference.
“We’ll do whatever we can to get our work done with the courtrooms we have,” stated Chief Judge-Elect Art Ritchie.
The Eighth Judicial District’s Drug Courts are considered models for other courts across the nation. Since September 1992, the Adult Criminal Drug Court has served more than 9,000 people and more than over 3,900 have graduated from the program.
The District Court operates an Adult Criminal Drug Court, a Prison Re-entry Drug Court, a Juvenile Drug Court, a Dependency Drug Court, a Dependency Mother’s Drug Court, and a Child Support Drug Court.
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For more information or to arrange an interview contact Michael Sommermeyer, Court Information Officer, (702) 671-4534.