Drug Court receives grant to expand access, services across 39th Judicial Circuit
Funds Will increase Services for Treatment Courts In Stone, Barry and Lawrence Counties
May 29, 2019
Isaac Estes-Jones
Adult Treatment Courts in the 39th Judicial Circuit will have increased capacity and services starting this year thanks to a nearly $2 million grant. Chrissy Fortner, Treatment Court Administrator for the 39th Judicial Circuit, announced that the circuit was one of 20 programs across the nation to receive a grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, part of the US Department of Health and Human Services.
These funds will allow the adult drug treatment courts in Stone, Barry and Lawrence counties to serve a total of 400 people over the five year span of the grant.
The new funds will allow more repeat felony offenders with substance use disorder (SUD), who also meet other criteria at screening to enter the treatment court program. The grant will increase access to medical preventative services, dentistry, recovery housing, Hepatitis/HIV testing and other treatments.
“The funding will enable Stone, Lawrence and Barry counties to serve more people and continue improving our programs,” said Judge Alan Blankenship, who oversees the Stone County treatment court programs.
Historically, drug treatment courts have been shown to be more effective than other interventions. “Treatment court is not only more effective than prison, but it is also substantially cheaper,” said Blankenship.
According to Stone County Treatment courts, the average cost to the state per participant is $4,400. This contrasts sharply to the cost of incarceration of approximately $26,000 per year.
Graduates of the treatment court program are also far less likely to re-enter the justice system.
For graduates of the treatment court program, recidivism is less than 20%. According to the Missouri Department of Corrections, the average rate of recidivism for individuals released from prison is 60%.
“This grant award will now give the courts in the 39th Circuit the level of assurance that we can function for a significant period of time into the future. The circuit’s track record of success and the people behind that success made this grant award possible,” said Judge Johnnie Cox, who oversees treatment courts in Barry County.
This is the fifth consecutive grant awarded to the 39th Circuit since 2010. The $1,999,965 grant is one of only 20 awarded in the United States. “This was a highly competitive grant,” said Fortner, who wrote the grant along with Dr. Vickie Luttrell, professor of psychology, and Dr. Jana Bufkin, associate professor of criminology. Luttrell and Bufkin will also serve as project evaluators. During a recent graduation ceremony, Judge Blankenship shared the news of the grant with those in attendance. “Thank you, Chrissy,” he said.
“This funding will expand Adult Treatment Drug Court capacity to increase the number of high-risk, high-need offenders receiving SUD treatment, mental health treatment, primary health care services and temporary housing assistance,” said Fortner.
“Because of growing demand, we have exceeded our circuit-wide admission goals every year since 2010,” she said.
Judges and staff throughout the circuit have emphasized the impact that treatment courts have on those who successfully complete the program. “The program strives to increase the personal, familial and societal accountability of offenders with substance use disorder and utilizes evidence-based strategies to ensure success,” said Fortner.
“The funding allows our treatment courts to effectively integrate evidence-based substance abuse treatment, mandatory drug testing, sanctions and incentives and transitional services in judicially supervised court settings that have jurisdiction over offenders to reduce recidivism and substance abuse,” said Judge Scott Sifferman, who oversees treatment courts in Lawrence County.
2019 is the 15th year for treatment court programs in Stone County. The Stone County Adult Drug Treatment Court is also one of eight national mentor courts, providing training and support to new programs across the country.
Barry County drug court is now in its 11th year. This is also the 8th year of treatment court for Lawrence County.
Isaac Estes-Jones
Adult Treatment Courts in the 39th Judicial Circuit will have increased capacity and services starting this year thanks to a nearly $2 million grant. Chrissy Fortner, Treatment Court Administrator for the 39th Judicial Circuit, announced that the circuit was one of 20 programs across the nation to receive a grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, part of the US Department of Health and Human Services.
These funds will allow the adult drug treatment courts in Stone, Barry and Lawrence counties to serve a total of 400 people over the five year span of the grant.
The new funds will allow more repeat felony offenders with substance use disorder (SUD), who also meet other criteria at screening to enter the treatment court program. The grant will increase access to medical preventative services, dentistry, recovery housing, Hepatitis/HIV testing and other treatments.
“The funding will enable Stone, Lawrence and Barry counties to serve more people and continue improving our programs,” said Judge Alan Blankenship, who oversees the Stone County treatment court programs.
Historically, drug treatment courts have been shown to be more effective than other interventions. “Treatment court is not only more effective than prison, but it is also substantially cheaper,” said Blankenship.
According to Stone County Treatment courts, the average cost to the state per participant is $4,400. This contrasts sharply to the cost of incarceration of approximately $26,000 per year.
Graduates of the treatment court program are also far less likely to re-enter the justice system.
For graduates of the treatment court program, recidivism is less than 20%. According to the Missouri Department of Corrections, the average rate of recidivism for individuals released from prison is 60%.
“This grant award will now give the courts in the 39th Circuit the level of assurance that we can function for a significant period of time into the future. The circuit’s track record of success and the people behind that success made this grant award possible,” said Judge Johnnie Cox, who oversees treatment courts in Barry County.
This is the fifth consecutive grant awarded to the 39th Circuit since 2010. The $1,999,965 grant is one of only 20 awarded in the United States. “This was a highly competitive grant,” said Fortner, who wrote the grant along with Dr. Vickie Luttrell, professor of psychology, and Dr. Jana Bufkin, associate professor of criminology. Luttrell and Bufkin will also serve as project evaluators. During a recent graduation ceremony, Judge Blankenship shared the news of the grant with those in attendance. “Thank you, Chrissy,” he said.
“This funding will expand Adult Treatment Drug Court capacity to increase the number of high-risk, high-need offenders receiving SUD treatment, mental health treatment, primary health care services and temporary housing assistance,” said Fortner.
“Because of growing demand, we have exceeded our circuit-wide admission goals every year since 2010,” she said.
Judges and staff throughout the circuit have emphasized the impact that treatment courts have on those who successfully complete the program. “The program strives to increase the personal, familial and societal accountability of offenders with substance use disorder and utilizes evidence-based strategies to ensure success,” said Fortner.
“The funding allows our treatment courts to effectively integrate evidence-based substance abuse treatment, mandatory drug testing, sanctions and incentives and transitional services in judicially supervised court settings that have jurisdiction over offenders to reduce recidivism and substance abuse,” said Judge Scott Sifferman, who oversees treatment courts in Lawrence County.
2019 is the 15th year for treatment court programs in Stone County. The Stone County Adult Drug Treatment Court is also one of eight national mentor courts, providing training and support to new programs across the country.
Barry County drug court is now in its 11th year. This is also the 8th year of treatment court for Lawrence County.
