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UM, JUDGE DONALD R. JOHNSON, UM, UH, PRESIDING OFFICER OVER THE 19TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT, ADULT DRUG COURT.
AND I SERVE ON THE 19TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT AND, UH, HAVE, UH, BEEN WORKING WITH THE ADULT DRUG COURT FOR A LITTLE OVER A TWO AND A HALF YEARS.
AND WHAT I WANTED TO DO WAS TO COME BEFORE YOU AND INTRODUCE THE MEMBERS OF THE ADULT DRUG COURT FOR EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH.
AND I WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE MODEL THAT WE ARE WORKING FROM, BASICALLY WHAT WE HAVE DECIDED TO DO, AND THESE BATTERIES PARISH, AND WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS SINCE JANUARY OF TWO OF 1998.
WE'VE HAD OTHER JUDGES AND OTHER PROSECUTORS AND DEFENSE ATTORNEYS AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO COME THROUGH THE ADULT DRUG COURT.
BUT WHAT WE'VE LEARNED IS THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS NOT FULLY AWARE OF THE SERVICES AND THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT OUR ADULT DRUG COURT PROVIDES FOR OUR PARISH.
BASICALLY, WHAT WE'RE WE ARE DOING WITH THIS COURT IS IT IS A TREATMENT COURT WHERE AS A DEFENDANT CHARGED WITH A PARTICULAR CRIME, YOU CAN ASK THE PROSECUTION, YOU CAN ASK THE COURT TO ALLOW YOU TO QUALIFY FOR TREATMENT SERVICES.
AND IF YOU FIT AND QUALIFY, THEN YOU WILL COME INTO THE ADULT DRUG COURT.
AND THE ADULT DRUG COURT HAS A FULL COMPREHENSIVE TEAM OF SPECIALISTS WHO WILL ASSIST YOU AND TREATMENT RECOVERY RECOVERY FROM ALCOHOL RECOVERY, FROM SUBSTANCE USE RECOVERY FROM OCCASIONAL MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.
SO WE WANT YOU TO KNOW ABOUT THIS COURT BECAUSE WE WANT YOU TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT.
AND WHEN I'M DONE HERE, INTRODUCING THE ADULT DRUG COURT, I'D LIKE FOR YOU TO MEET THE TEAM, THE PROSECUTOR, THE PUBLIC DEFENDER, THE MEMBERS OF THE ADULT DRUG COURT TEAM, THE SUPERVISORS, THE CASE MANAGERS, THESE PEER SPECIALISTS, I'D LIKE YOU TO MEET THEM SO THAT YOU WILL KNOW HOW TO REACH OUT TO US AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS RESOURCE.
SO WITH THAT IN MIND, AND NOT MUCH MORE DELAYED, I'D LIKE TO LET YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THE 19TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT OPERATES A, AN ADULT DRUG COURT MODEL.
AND BASICALLY IF YOU HAVE A CRIME AND THERE'S A NEXUS BETWEEN THE CRIME AND ADDICTION OR THE USE OF ALCOHOL, AND THAT CRIME IS NOT A SERIOUS FELONY, THEN YOU MAY QUALIFY TO ENTER INTO THE ADULT DRUG COURT TREATMENT PROGRAM.
SO WHAT I'D LIKE YOU TO DO IS PAUSE FOR A MOMENT.
I WILL BE BACK IN A SECOND AND THE MEMBERS OF THE TEAM WILL COME UP AND TALK TO YOU ABOUT WHAT THEY DO, HOW THEY DO.
AND THEN AT THE END, I'D LIKE FOR A COMMUNITY PARTICIPANT WHO HAS BECOME AWARE OF THE SERVICES THAT THE ADULT DRUG COURT TREATMENT PROVIDES.
I'D LIKE FOR THAT PERSON TO COME UP AND SHARE THEIR PERSPECTIVE ON WHAT THEY BELIEVE HIS PROGRAM DOES AND HOW IT HAS BENEFITED OUR COMMUNITY FOR SUCH A LONG TIME.
I'M THE CERTIFIED PEER SUPPORT SPECIALIST.
MY ROLE AT THE DRUG COURT TREATMENT IS TO SUPPORT MENTOR AND ADVOCATE FOR OUR PARTICIPANTS ON THEIR BEHALF, DUE TO I'M COMING FROM SEMINAR LIVED EXPERIENCE.
UM, MY ROLE CONSISTS OF MANY THINGS, UM, MOTIVATING THEM, MAKING SURE THEY'RE UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE PROGRAM IS ABOUT.
UM, JUST BEING THAT POSITIVE ROLE MODEL FOR THEM AS THE CASE MANAGER, I HELP VERIFY EMPLOYMENT.
UM, WE DO ONCE THEY COME TO US FROM PLEADING IN, IN COURT, I DO THE INTAKE WITH THEM.
THAT JUST GOES OVER OUR RULES.
THE REQUIREMENTS, UH, KIND OF GIVES THEM A GENERAL OUTLINE.
THEY SIGN EVERYTHING SAYING THEY ACKNOWLEDGE IT AND THEY UNDERSTAND, UM, ONCE THEY GET GOING IN THE PROGRAM, I'M THE ONE THAT'LL MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE EMPLOYMENT THAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO, OR THEY'RE ENROLLED IN SCHOOL.
UM, WE'LL COORDINATE WITH THE PEER SUPPORT SPECIALIST TO PROVIDE OTHER WRAPAROUND SERVICES.
ALSO, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I ALSO
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DO WITH OUR PARTICIPANTS IS HOLD A PEER SUPPORT GROUP MONDAYS OUT OF THE WEEK, TRYING TO HELP THEM BUILD THEIR SOCIALIZATION SKILLS AS WELL AS BE ABLE TO DISCUSS SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY MAY BE GOING THROUGH AS IT RELATES TO THE RECOVERY.ONE OF THE THINGS THAT INFORM OUR PARTICIPANTS IS TO TRUST THE PROCESS IN CONJUNCTION WILL WE WORKED LIKE DANIELLE AND I WORKED TOGETHER A LOT.
I KNOW WE'RE BOTH STRONG ADVOCATES FOR THE PARTICIPANTS.
UM, IF THEY'RE DOING RIGHT AND WE FEEL LIKE THEY MIGHT NOT BE GETTING THE RECOGNITION THEY DESERVE, UH, WE'LL VOICE FOR THEIR, THEIR OPINION.
WE'LL LET THEM KNOW WHAT THEY NEED TO DO.
UM, IF THEY'RE NOT DOING RIGHT, WE'LL KIND OF ASK THEM WHAT'S GOING ON, WHAT THEY THINK THEY CAN DO TO CHANGE AND, UM, INTERACT WITH THE TREATMENT TEAM TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE HEADING DOWN THE RIGHT PATH.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS I DO DISCUSS WITH A MINUTE PARTICIPANTS IS BECAUSE I'VE BEEN DOWN THE ROAD THAT THEY HAVE BEEN DOWN.
I TRY TO HELP THEM AND UNDERSTAND THAT TRUST, TRUST IS A PROCESS AND THE MORE THEY'RE BRINGING THEIR TRUST DOWN AND UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE HERE TO GENUINELY HELP THEM.
THEY BECOME MORE OF AROUND THEM AND TRUST THAN OUR TREATMENT TEAM.
SO I'M MORE OF LIKE THEIR MENTOR TO HELP THEM UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS.
I TRY AND GIVE SOME INSIGHT TO OUR PARTICIPANTS.
ONCE THEY ARE A LITTLE MORE FAMILIAR WITH OUR PROGRAM AND BEGIN TO TRUST US A LITTLE BIT MORE.
I LET THEM KNOW THAT I'VE BEEN THERE.
UM, I'VE BEEN THROUGH THE JUSTICE SYSTEM AND I KNOW THAT IT CAN SEEM LIKE IT'S OVERWHELMING THAT YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO GET THROUGH IT, THAT YOU'LL NEVER GET TO THE OTHER SIDE.
AND I'M HERE TO LET THEM KNOW YOU CAN, AND THAT THEY ABSOLUTELY WILL.
UM, I LIKE TO JOKE AROUND WITH THEM.
I LIKE TO TRY AND GIVE HIM THAT LIGHT ATMOSPHERE.
I TOLD THEM THAT MY OFFICE IS ALWAYS A SPACE TO COME AND VENT.
UM, THEY CAN SAY PRETTY MUCH WHATEVER THEY WANT IN THERE JUST TO GET IT OFF THEIR SHOULDERS.
THAT IF I TOLD THEM NO, IF YOU'RE HOLDING IT IN, IT'S NOT DOING YOU ANY GOOD.
ONE OF MY PET PEEVES IS SENDING OUT MOTIVATIONAL TEXT MESSAGES TO THEM ON A REGULAR, JUST TO KEEP THEM IN COVERAGE THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
IF YOU NEED TO REACH THE ADULT DRUG COURT, OUR PHONE NUMBER IS (225) 924-0600.
AND UP NEXT, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE OUR LEGAL SIDE OF THE DRUG COURT TREATMENT PROGRAM.
HELLO, MY NAME IS LARRY MCALPINE.
I AM AN ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY AND THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE DRUG COURT LIAISON OFFICER, AND I'M FRED CROCKY I'M WITH THE 19TH TRADITIONAL DISTRICT, UH, PUBLIC DEFENDER'S OFFICE.
I REPRESENT THE CANDIDATES FOR DRUG COURT.
IT'S A VERY QUICKLY WHAT I WANT TO TELL Y'ALL ALL IS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR AT THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, AS FAR AS POTENTIAL DRUG COURT CANDIDATES.
UH, WE ARE GENERALLY LOOKING FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE OBVIOUSLY SUFFERING FROM A DRUG ADDICTION AND WHO HAVE TURNED TO CRIMINAL CONDUCT EITHER TO SUPPORT THAT DRUG ADDICTION OR BECAUSE OF THAT DRUG ADDITION, UH, DRUG ADDICTION, EXCUSE ME.
UH, AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS TWOFOLD.
UM, WHAT WE THINK AT THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, AS WE CAN BETTER SERVE OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH, UH, SUPPORTING THE DRUG COURT PROGRAM, BUT ALSO HELP THESE INDIVIDUALS.
AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS THE INDIVIDUALS THEMSELVES GET THE TREATMENT.
A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE HAVE NOWHERE LEFT TO TURN, HAVE TRIED AND FAILED OTHER TREATMENT PROGRAMS. AND AS A LAST RESORT HAVE ENTERED THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, RATHER THAN THROW THESE PEOPLE AWAY.
THEY ARE AFFORDED THIS OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH VERY QUALIFIED MEMBERS OF OUR DRUG COURT STAFF.
THE OTHER PEOPLE, THIS HELPS THOUGH, ARE THE COMMUNITY IN GENERAL.
AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS THAT THERE IS ALMOST ALWAYS ANCILLARY CRIME THAT GOES ALONG WITH THAT DRUG ADDICTION, WHETHER IT'S PROPERTY CRIMES, CRIMES OF VIOLENCE, WHATEVER IT MAY BE.
SO THE WAY THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE LOOKS AT THIS IS IF WE CAN GET SOMEBODY INTO THIS TREATMENT PROGRAM, GET THEM OFF THE DRUGS.
NOT ONLY ARE WE HELPING THEM, WHICH WE OBVIOUSLY ARE, WE'RE HELPING THE PEOPLE WHO MAY BE NAMELESS AND FACELESS WHO MIGHT BE SUBJECT TO THEIR CRIMES IN THE FUTURE.
SO WE LOOK AT IT AS A TWO-FOLD, UM, BENEFIT TO THE COMMUNITY.
AND MY JOB IS TO REPRESENT THE INDIVIDUAL CANDIDATES WHO HAVE NO OTHER LAWYER, UH, TO GO THROUGH FIRST, THE APPLICATION PROCESS TO WORK WITH MR. MCALPIN IN HIS OFFICE IN GETTING THE PERSON APPROVED AND ALSO TO WORK WITH THE DRUG COURT TEAM TO LIKEWISE, GET THE PERSON EVALUATED AND APPROVED
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TO ENTER DRUG COURT.DURING THAT STAGE, I WORK PRIMARILY WITH THE TRIAL ATTORNEY FOR THE INDIVIDUAL, AS WELL AS THE VARIOUS TEAM MEMBERS, LOTS, THE PERSON PLEADS INTO DRUG COURT.
THEN I BECOME THAT PERSON'S LAWYER.
I'M NOT THE LAWYER FOR THE DRUG COURT, BUT THE DRUG COURT TEAM OR FOR THE STATE.
I WANT TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT HIS RIGHTS ARE UPHELD.
THAT DUE PROCESS UNDER THE CONSTITUTION IS MAINTAINED AT ALL TIMES THROUGHOUT HIS ENTIRE PROCESS, THROUGH A DRUG TREATMENT.
AND THEN I WORK WITH THEM AFTER THEY COMPLETE DRUG COURT TREATMENT TO GET IF IT'S, UH, APPROPRIATE TO GET THE CHARGES EXPLODED FROM THEIR RECORD SO THAT THEY CAN IN FACT, GO ON TO, UH, BECOME A, UH, A VALUED MEMBER OF SOCIETY.
THE IMPORTANT POINT HERE IS THAT UNDER JUDGE JOHNSON, THE CANDIDATES ARE THE MEMBERS OF THE DRAW OF DRUG COURT.
THE PARTICIPANTS OF DRUG COURT DO HAVE ALL OF THE RIGHTS OF DUE PROCESS AFFORDED TO THEM UNDER THE CONSTITUTION, EVEN IF IT'S, UH, INVOLVED IN SOME ASPECT OF THEIR ACTIVITY IN DRUG COURT, FRED STATED A GOAL WHICH, WHICH I THINK IS IMPORTANT AND THAT HE WANTS TO SEE THESE DEFENDANTS RETURN AS VALUABLE MEMBERS OF SOCIETY.
AND IT'S, IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE THAT'S A GOAL THAT WE SHARE AS WELL.
AND WHAT I WANT TO POINT OUT IS THAT THIS IS NOT AN ADVERSARIAL PROCESS BETWEEN THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND THE PUBLIC OFFICE.
A LOT OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IS IN SOME WAYS, ADVERSARIAL, THIS IS NOT, WE SHARE A COMMON GOAL AND ATTEMPTING TO REHABILITATE THESE PEOPLE, PUT THEM BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY TO WHERE THEY CAN BE PRODUCTIVE MEMBERS OF SAID COMMUNITY.
AND I'VE BEEN DOING THIS NOW FOR APPROXIMATELY TWO, TWO AND A HALF YEARS.
AND I HAVE SEEN REMARKABLE TURNAROUNDS FROM PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN IN JAIL DETOXING COMING DOWN FROM VARIOUS NARCOTICS THAT TWO YEARS AGO, I WOULD'VE SAID, THERE'S NO CHANCE THESE PEOPLE CAN BE HELPED.
I'VE WATCHED THEM WALK OUT OF THE DRUG COURT, GRADUATIONS COMPLETELY CHANGED.
AND I'VE HEARD EVEN AFTER THAT, THAT THEY HAVE THEY'RE WORKING, THEY'RE HELPING THEIR KIDS GO TO SCHOOL.
THEY'RE EDUCATING THEIR CHILDREN, THEY'RE BEING RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUALS IN THE COMMUNITY.
AND I THINK THAT THAT IS AN INVALUABLE RESOURCE, EXCUSE ME, AN INVALUABLE RESULT BASED ON THE RESOURCE.
IT IS THE DRUG COURT SYSTEM AND THAT'S, YOU'RE GONNA MEET, UH, THE INTEGRAL MEMBERS OF THE DRUG COURT TREATMENT STAFF, ROBIN TOLER, QUINTIN, GUSTAFSON, AND CHERYL WYATT.
THEY WILL BE ABLE TO TELL YOU THE DETAILS OF WHAT IT TAKES TO RUN A SUCCESSFUL DRUG COURT PROGRAM.
I'M THE COORDINATOR FOR THE 19TH JDC ADULT DRUG COURT TEAM.
UM, I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY OF, UM, WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH JUDGE DONALD LARD JOHNSON TO ASSEMBLE THE DRUG COURT TEAM.
UM, ON OUR TEAM, WE HAVE A WE'RE LED BY THE, UM, BY THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY.
WHO'S THE GATEKEEPER, UM, OF OUR DRUG COURT TEAM.
AND WHEN I SAY GATE KEEPER, OUR DISTRICT ATTORNEY, ALL OF OUR REFERRALS ARE FILTERED THROUGH HIM AND HE MAKES THE DECISION OF, UM, PARTICIPANTS OR DEFENDANTS AT THIS POINT, IF THEY MEET THE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS, UM, FOR DRUG COURT.
IN ADDITION TO, UM, THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY, UM, I WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH THE PUBLIC DEFENDER, OUR TREATMENT TEAM.
WE HAVE A CASE MANAGER AND A PEER SUPPORT SPECIALIST.
AND SO IT TAKES ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE TO BRING IN, MAKE THE TEAM.
ALL OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS ARE VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT PROVIDING AN ADVOCATING ON BEHALF OF OUR PARTICIPANTS.
UM, IN ADDITION TO ASSEMBLING THE TEAM I'M RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR DAILY OPERATIONS, OUR BUDGET, I ANSWER TO THE, UM, TO THE JUDGE, TO THE SUPREME COURT.
I ENSURE THAT WE'RE FOLLOWING ALL OF THE POLICY AND THAT WE SHOULD BE THAT, UM, THAT THE SUPREME COURT AND OUR NATIONAL DRUG COURT STANDARDS STATE THAT WE SHOULD
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BE FOLLOWING.UM, I HAVE WITH ME TODAY, MR. QUINTIN GUSTIN QUINTIN IS OVER OUR CLINICAL, UM, OVER CLINICAL PROGRAM.
HE OVERSEES ALL OF THE TREATMENT, UM, THAT OUR PARTICIPANTS THAT THEY ARE INVOLVED WITH ALSO ROBIN TOLER, ROBIN IS ON STAFF AS ONE OF OUR, UM, TREATMENT COUNSELORS.
SO AT THIS TIME I'LL TURN IT OVER TO QUENTIN AND ROBIN.
HI, UH, MY NAME IS QUENTIN GUSTIN AND I'M THE CLINICAL SERVICES DIRECTOR, UH, OF THE DRUG COURT, UH, AS CLINICAL SERVICES DIRECTOR, UH, AS MS. WYATT, UH, MENTIONED, UH, I OVERSEE, UH, ALL ASPECTS OF TREATMENT, UH, WHICH MEANS SUPERVISING, UH, COUNSELORS, UH, AND, UM, UH, OUR DRUG SCREENERS, UH, ALSO ENGAGE IN ACTUALLY DOING TREATMENT, UH, AND TREATMENT ENTAILS.
MANY THINGS ARE OUR PRIMARY MODE OF TREATMENT IN THE DRUG COURT, UH, IS, UH, EVIDENCE-BASED MANUALIZED GROUP THERAPY.
AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT WHAT EVIDENCE-BASED, UH, THERAPY IS, IT IS, UM, TREATMENT THAT HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATED, UH, BY, UM, GOOD SOLID RESEARCH TO SHOW THAT IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN HELPING PEOPLE, UH, MAKE THE GAINS THEY NEED TO MAKE.
UM, WE ALSO, UH, SOMETIMES UTILIZE, UH, OUTSIDE RESOURCES AND WE MAKE, UH, REFERRALS, FOR EXAMPLE, FOR, UH, MEDICATION CONCERT CONSULTS, UH, SOMETIMES FOR MEDICATION ASSISTED TREATMENT.
AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE ALSO MAKE REFERRALS TO SPECIALIZED TREATMENT.
ONE OF THOSE BEING, UH, RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT, LIKE A 28 DAY PROGRAM, WHICH IS SOMETIMES NECESSARY WHEN PEOPLE ARE HAVING DIFFICULTIES, UH, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER NOW TO, UM, UH, ONE OF OUR COUNSELORS, UM, WHO IS ROBIN TOMER.
UM, WE ARE A GROUP OF DEDICATED PROFESSIONALS COMMITTED TO THE SOLE PURPOSE OF HELPING INDIVIDUALS IN OUR COMMUNITY, RECOVER FROM DRUG ADDICTION.
THAT IS THE SOLE PURPOSE OF OUR UNIT OF OUR COMMITMENT.
AND THIS IS WHAT WE WANT TO DO.
AND AS QUINTIN SAID, WE USED EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICES, UM, CUTTING EDGE INTERVENTIONS, REALLY TO HELP INDIVIDUALS.
AND IN THE STATE OF LOUISIANA, THERE'S POVERTY, THERE'S LITERACY, THERE'S UNEMPLOYMENT.
THERE ARE NUMEROUS LAYERS OF PROBLEMS AND ISSUES, AND THE DRUG COURT TREATMENT TEAM HELP THE INDIVIDUAL OVERCOME A VARIETY OF ISSUES AND PROBLEMS. WE WORK WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS.
WE WORK WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE CO-OCCURRING MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, UM, WHO HAVE GRIEF LOSS WHO MAY HAVE EXPERIENCED A TRAUMA, UH, IN THEIR, IN THEIR HISTORY.
MAYBE THEY HAVE SOME SORT OF, UH, ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCE.
MAYBE ONE OF THEM ONE OR MORE OF THEIR PARENTS WERE MENTALLY ILL, OR HAVE YOU USED AN ABUSED DRUGS AND ALCOHOL.
AND WE TAKE THOSE INDIVIDUALS AND HELP THEM UNPACK THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT HAVE MOTIVATED THEM, UM, TO USE DRUGS.
AND, UH, PERHAPS AS THE, UM, AS THE ATTORNEY SAID EARLIER, TO HELP THEM, UH, COPE, WE HELP THEM BUILD A COPING STRATEGIES, STRESS MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES.
WE HELPED THEM, UH, BUILD PARENTING SKILLS TO BECOME BETTER PARENTS, MORE HELL, HEALTHIER PARENTS.
AND WE HELP THEM WITH, UH, HOUSING NEEDS.
WE HELP THEM WITH, UH, MEDICAL STABILIZATION IN THE EVENT THAT THEY MIGHT NEED, UH, ADDITIONAL RESOURCES IN THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY.
UM, IN ADDITION TO OUR OUTPATIENT PROGRAMS AND GROUPS, WE ALSO HAVE GENDER SPECIFIC GROUPS LIKE A WOMEN'S GROUPS AND TRAUMA, UH, GROUPS WHERE PEOPLE CAN BE REFERRED TO THE DIFFERENT GROUPS.
IF I HAD TO ADD ONE MORE THING, UM, ONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT OUR PROGRAM IS THAT WE GET TO SEE LIVES.
WE GET TO SEE FAMILIES TRANSFORM.
UM, WE SEE THEM FROM THE TIME THAT THEY'RE IN
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THE COURT ROOM, IN WHICH THEY'RE REFERRED TO AS DEFENDANTS.THEY FEEL LIKE THEIR DEFENDANTS THAT THEY'RE DEFENDING THEMSELVES AGAINST SOMETHING THAT THEIR LIVES ARE VIRTUALLY ON THE LINE.
AND IT IS, UM, WHEN THEY COME INTO THEIR, IN TO OUR PROGRAM, WE NO LONGER SEE THEM.
WE NO LONGER TREAT THEM AS THEY ARE DEFENDANTS AND THEY ARE PARTICIPANTS.
THEY ARE PARTICIPANTS IN OUR PROGRAM WHO HAVE A STAKE WHO HAVE A SAY.
SO IN WHAT THEIR PLAN IS, WHAT THEIR TREATMENT PLAN IS, WHAT THEIR CASE MANAGEMENT PLAN IS, WHAT THEIR, WHAT THEIR OUTCOME IS GOING TO BE.
IN THE END, WE GIVE A STAKE IN WHAT'S HAPPENING TO THEIR LIVES AND GIVE THEM SOME CONTROL.
UM, SO WE NO LONGER SEE THEM AS DEFENDANTS, BUT THEY, WE HELP THEM TO REGAIN SOME DIGNITY IN THEIR LIVES AND HAVE SOME STAKE IN WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO THEIR FUTURE.
UM, WE INVOLVE THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR FAMILIES.
THEY BEGIN TO, TO GAIN CONFIDENCE BACK INTO THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS.
YOU KNOW, THEY BEGIN TO TRUST THEM AGAIN, THEIR CHILDREN.
THEY BEGIN TO SEE THAT THEIR MOMS AND THEIR DADS SAID THAT THEY'RE SERIOUS ABOUT CHANGING THEIR LIVES.
AND THEY BEGAN TO WANT TO BE INVOLVED WITH THEM AGAIN.
UM, THE, OUR PROGRAM, IT IS UP TO 16 MONTHS.
AND IN THAT TIME, OUR PARTICIPANTS, THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REGAIN THE TRUST OF THEIR FAMILY, REGAIN THE TRUST OF THEIR, THEIR CHILDREN.
THEY'RE ABLE TO HOLD DOWN EMPLOYMENT AND JUST TO GET THAT SELF-CONFIDENCE BACK IN WHICH THEY'RE NO LONGER SEEN AS DEFENDANT IN THE CRIMINAL COURT SYSTEM.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, OUR PROGRAM IS SPREAD OUT OVER MANY MONTHS.
SO WE HAVE PHASE ONE WHERE PEOPLE ARE JUST COMING IN AND THEN THEY ROLL INTO PHASE TWO AFTER THEY MEET A CERTAIN CRITERIA AND THEN PHASE THREE, AND THEN PHASE FOUR AND PHASE FIVE UNTIL THEY CAN SUCCESSFULLY GRADUATE FROM THE PROGRAM.
SO IT'S NOT JUST A FLASH IN THE PAN.
IT IS SLOW, METHODICAL CHANGE FOR THE INDIVIDUALS THERE.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE PROMOTE CHANGE.
WE PROVIDE TOOLS SO THAT PEOPLE CAN CHANGE THEMSELVES.
AND I WOULD, UH, ADD THAT PEOPLE DO CHANGE.
UH IT'S SO HAPPENS THAT TOMORROW WE'LL BE GRADUATING NINE PEOPLE, UH, FROM OUR PROGRAM WHO HAVE SUCCESSFULLY TRANSITIONED.
AND I WAS SPEAKING WITH ONE OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS EARLIER TODAY, UH, WHO WAS TELLING ME ABOUT THE GAINS THAT SHE HAS MADE IN THIS PROGRAM.
AND THEY WERE ENORMOUS, UH, UM, CHANGES IN FAMILY BEING TRUSTED BY THEIR FAMILY.
THIS PERSON ACTUALLY SAID, I'VE NEVER HAD A GROUP OF FRIENDS BEFORE, AND NOW I HAVE FRIENDS THAT I TRUST, UM, AND CAN LEAN ON FOR SUPPORT.
UM, ALSO SAID I'VE NEVER REALLY BEEN RESPONSIBLE BEFORE AND NOW RESPONSIBLE.
I CAN HOLD A JOB NOW THAT I'VE NEVER HELD.
AND, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S TOUCHING BECAUSE, UH, PEOPLE'S LIVES ARE CHANGING.
AND, YOU KNOW, JUST STATISTICALLY SPEAKING, IT'S ESTIMATED THAT 70 TO 80% OF PEOPLE IN OUR PRISONS ARE THERE BECAUSE OF DRUG RELATED CRIMES, UH, EITHER CRIMES COMMITTED WHILE THEY WERE ON DRUGS ARE BECAUSE THEY WERE, UM, UH, TRYING TO GET DRUGS.
AND IN, UH, IN, IN, IN OUR DRUG COURTS, ABOUT 75% OF THE PEOPLE WHO GRADUATE DRUG COURTS, DON'T SEE A PAIR OF HANDCUFFS AGAIN.
AND I THINK THAT THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
THIS SAVES THE COMMUNITY AN IMMENSE AMOUNT OF MONEY.
AND SO WE'VE TALKED ABOUT HOW OUR PARTICIPANT LIVES ARE TRANSFORMED, BUT ALSO FAMILY MEMBERS LIVES ARE TRANSFORMED AS WELL.
SO TODAY WE HAVE WITH US, UM, MS. PATRICIA LEONARD AND RETIRED SERGEANT LINDA GIORDANO, WHO HAVE HAD FAMILY MEMBERS, WHO'VE
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HAD AN OPPORTUNITY, UM, TO BE IN DRUG COURT AND TO EXPERIENCE TREATMENT.HI, I'M, UH, RETIRED SERGEANT LINDA JORDANNA WITH THE BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UH, I'VE BEEN RETIRED FOR 10 YEARS.
I'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO WITNESS THE DRUG COURT PROGRAM SINCE ITS EXHIBIT EXISTENCE.
UH, I'VE WATCHED PEOPLE'S LIVES CHANGE AS A RESULT OF GOING THROUGH THIS PROGRAM.
AND I'VE ALSO HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH SOMEONE, UH, 14 MONTHS AGO, UH, WHO WENT THROUGH DRUG COURT.
I ACTUALLY HOUSE THIS YOUNG LADY SAVANNAH, UH, FOR FOUR MONTHS AT MY HOUSE.
AND IT WAS JUST AN INCREDIBLE CHANGE FOR HER TO WATCH HER GROW, UH, BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE BY THE DRUG COURT, UH, TO WATCH HER GO THROUGH THE PROGRAM, THROUGH THE, UH, MEETINGS THAT SHE HAD TO PARTICIPATE IN.
AND, UH, SHE BECAME A MEMBER OF SOCIETY, AGAIN, A VERY GOOD MEMBER OF SOCIETY.
IT, UH, SHE WAS ABLE TO GET EMPLOYMENT AND, UH, MOVE ON WITH HER LIFE.
UH, I, I'M GOING TO TURN THIS OVER TO HER AUNT WHO IS, UH, PATRICIA LEONARD.
AND I'M GOING TO LET HER TELL YOU A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THAT.
UM, PATRICIA LEONARD, UM, SAVANNAH, UH, IS MY NIECE.
AND, UM, THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, SAVANNAH, UM, SUFFERED FROM DRUG ADDICTION, MOSTLY HEROIN, UH, STARTED AT, UM, PROBABLY IN HER EARLY TEENS, UH, WITH, UM, MARIJUANA, THINGS LIKE THAT PILLS, BUT AS SHE, UM, GREW OLDER, IT GOT, UH, QUITE, UH, SERIOUS, UH, THROUGH HER DRUG ADDICTION.
UM, SHE ENDED UP IN JAIL, UM, HAD, UH, SPENT A GOOD TIME IN JAIL.
AND EACH TIME SHE GOT OUT, THE FAMILY HAD HOPE FOR HER.
SHE WOULD GO THROUGH A REHAB ATTEND MEETINGS AND SHE WOULD, UH, LAPSE AGAIN.
AND, UM, THIS HAD TREMENDOUS, UH, TREMENDOUS EFFECT ON HER MOTHER, DAD, AND FAMILY.
UM, THIS LAST TIME, UH, SHE ENDED UP IN JAIL AND WAS INTRODUCED TO THE ADULT DRUG PROGRAM COURT PROGRAM.
AND WHEN SHE GOT OUT, WHICH WAS IN 2019, UH, SHE MOVED IN, UM, AND I, I COULD SEE THE DIFFERENCE AS SHE STARTED, UH, THE ADULT DRUG COURT PROGRAM.
WHAT I FIRST NOTICED WAS HER ACCOUNTABILITY.
SHE KNEW SHE WAS ACCOUNTABLE FOR HER ACTIONS.
AND WHAT I KNEW IS THAT THIS PROGRAM HAD SOMETHING THAT THE OTHER PROGRAMS DIDN'T HAVE.
SHE TOLD HER MOTHER, BONNIE SIMON, SHE TOLD HER MOTHER, I GOT THIS, I GOT THIS, THIS TIME, I'VE GOT IT.
THIS TIME, THIS PROGRAM WAS GIVING HER SELF-ESTEEM.
IT WAS LIFTING HER IN A WAY THAT I HAD NEVER SEEN HER LIFTED BEFORE THROUGH A PROGRAM.
AND I THINK YOU MIGHT AGREE WITH THAT.
I SAW THAT SHE WOULD GET UP EVERY MORNING FOR THAT, UH, DRUG TEST.
AND SHE MADE SURE SHE WAS UP EARLY CALLING TO SEE IF IT WAS HER DAY.
UM, SHE TOOK IT SERIOUSLY AND SHE BEGAN TO CHANGE IN THE CHANGES THAT WE SAW WERE JUST PHENOMENAL.
SHE SET GOALS, WHICH IS SOMETHING SHE HAD NEVER DONE BEFORE.
AND SHE WAS SO PROUD OF IT BECAUSE SHE WOULD CHECK THOSE GOALS OFF AND SAY, LOOK, WHAT I DID, THIS IS A GOAL.
AND SHE HAD HER GOALS LISTED OUT SOMETHING NEW, NEVER SAW HER DO THAT.
UM, SHE LIKED TO STAY REALLY BUSY.
AND WHAT WAS REALLY INTERESTING, I TOOK HER FOR A JOB INTERVIEW.
AND WHEN SHE CAME BACK TO THE CAR, SHE SAW, I WAS JUST HONEST WITH THE GUY INTERVIEWING ME.
I TOLD HIM I WAS A DRUG ADDICT, HEROIN, AND I'M STARTING MY LIFE OVER.
AND I SAID, WHAT HAPPENED? SHE SAYS, I'VE GOT THE JOB.
AND FROM THERE, SHE ACTUALLY HAD A, THAT SHE GOT A PART-TIME JOB AND SHE HAD TWO OTHER PART-TIME JOBS.
SO SHE KNEW FOR HER TO KEEP BUSY AND SHE WAS WORKING.
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I, IT MIGHT'VE BEEN SEVERAL YEARS SINCE I'D SEEN HER HOLD A JOB DOWN WITH THIS INTENSITY, WITH THIS GOAL THAT SHE HAD IN MIND.AND, UH, I DO KNOW THAT THIS WAS A NEW BEGINNING FOR HER.
THIS WAS WORKING AND THREE TIMES A WEEK, SHE WAS GOING TO DRUG COURT AND SHE TOLD HER MOTHER NUMEROUS TIMES DRUG COURT HAS SAVED MY LIFE.
AND HER MOM TOLD ME THAT SHE DIDN'T SAY IT ONCE.
SHE SAID IT NUMEROUS TIMES OVER AND OVER.
AND SHE GAVE CREDIT TO THOSE PEOPLE THAT HELPED HER.
IT'S VERY, VERY DIFFERENT THAN IT HAS EVER BEEN BEFORE THIS PROGRAM WORKS.
UM, THE FAMILY CAN NOT EXPRESS THE GRATITUDE WE HAVE TO THE CASE MANAGERS AND THE COUNSELORS THAT HELPED SAVANNAH ON MAY THE NINTH, 2020 SAVANNAH PASSED AWAY IN A CAR ACCIDENT, A CAR CRASH.
AND THE THING THAT WE'RE SO GRATEFUL FOR IS THAT SHE DIED CLEAN WITH THE THANKS TO THIS PROGRAM, OUR SWEET, SWEET SAVANNAH DOD CLEAN SOMETHING THAT WE HAD HOPED FOR FOR SO MANY YEARS, SHE WAS PROUD OF HER SOBRIETY.
SHE WAS PROUD TO BE CLEAN, AND SHE HAD PLANNED A FUTURE THAT WAS CUT SHORT, BUT SHE DIED CLEAN.
AND I CANNOT EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE.
I JUST TO THE DRUG, TO THE ADULT DRUG COURT PROGRAM, SAVANNAH'S FAMILY CANNOT THANK YOU ENOUGH.
IF YOU KNOW ANYONE THAT HAS A PROBLEM, DRUGS OR ALCOHOL, PLEASE FIND THEM HELP THROUGH THIS PROGRAM.
IF YOU NEED TO REACH OUT AND TOUCH US, CALL US AT NINE TWO FOUR OH HUNDRED.
THAT IS TWO TWO FIVE NINE TWO FOUR ZERO 600.