Kentucky Court of Justice
Drug Court participants celebrate National Drug Court Month by helping their communities

Upcoming Drug Court graduation ceremonies
Drug Court Graduations May 19-31, 2011 (49KB - PDF)

FRANKFORT, Ky. -- Drug Court participants throughout Kentucky are helping their communities and participating in other activities in celebration of May being National Drug Court Month. Many Drug Court programs are recognizing participants who have successfully completed the program with graduation ceremonies throughout the month, including during National Drug Court Commencement Week from May 16-20. The graduation ceremonies and some of the other events are open to the public.

“We encouraged participants to conduct a cleanup project in their area for the special month and they stepped up to do cleanups, raise money for others, help with community activities and more,” Kentucky Drug Court manager Connie Neal said. “We appreciate their efforts and are sure that their communities do too.
 
“In addition to being good for the community, giving back is an important part of a Drug Court participant’s recovery. Helping others can make you feel useful and remind you that you are part of something bigger than yourself. Many individuals who are addicted to drugs either never had that great feeling or they lost it at some point.” 

The national theme for the month is Drug Courts: A Proven Budget Solution. While National Drug Court Month is observed annually in May, some programs recognize it with projects at other times of the year and/or have ongoing projects. 
 
Kentucky Drug Court is administered through the Administrative Office of the Courts in Frankfort and oversees 55 adult Drug Court programs that serve 115 counties. Drug Court is a division of the AOC Department of Statewide Services.
 
Here is how some Drug Court programs are recognizing or have recognized National Drug Court Month:
 
Anderson/Shelby/Spencer Drug Court program
• Graduation May 19 during National Drug Court Commencement Week of May 16-20
• Proclamations

Ballard/Carlisle/Fulton/Hickman Drug Court program
Graduation May 20 during National Drug Court Commencement Week of May 16-20

Bath/Menifee/Montgomery/Rowan Drug Court program
• Jesse Hodges Run Away from Drugs 5K run/walk (Rowan County)
• A Walk for Recovery (Montgomery County)
• Graduation ceremony May 25
• Proclamations

Bell County Drug Court program
Proclamations

Bourbon/Scott/Woodford Drug Court program
Graduation May 11

Bracken/Fleming/Mason Drug Court program
• Have cookout May 27 and invite Rotary team members
• Clean up downtown area on May 18
• Work with community partners in cleaning up Rotary Park on May 10, including mulching and planting flowers

Bullitt County Drug Court program
• Children’s book drive with donated books being given to schools
• Participants and Drug Court alumni group will clean up a local property
• Working with community leaders to collect donations for Trooper Island for local children

Butler/Edmonson/Hancock/Ohio Drug Court program
Proclamations

Calloway/Marshall Drug Court program
Graduation ceremony May 12

Campbell/Kenton Drug Court program
• Participated in Great American Cleanup – April 16
• Present information about Drug Court Month to fiscal courts in both counties

Carter/Elliott/Morgan Drug Court program
• Picnic and softball game for participants

Christian County Drug Court program                            
Graduation May 18 during National Drug Court Commencement Week of May 16-20

Clark/Madison Drug Court program
• Clark graduation May 19
• Madison Circuit Drug Court graduation May 18
• Madison District Drug Court graduation May 17
All during National Drug Court Commencement Week of May 16-20

Clay/Jackson/Leslie Drug Court program
• Leslie graduation May 18
• Clay/Jackson graduation May 17
Both during National Drug Court Commencement Week of May 16-20

Clinton/Cumberland/Monroe Drug Court program
• Clean up local road in Monroe County
• Proclamations

Daviess County Drug Court program
Graduation May 22

Estill/Lee/Owsley Drug Court program
Proclamations

Fayette County Drug Court program
• Graduation May 19 during National Drug Court Commencement Week of May 16-20
• Assist with community garden. Participants and staff will work throughout May to get the garden active again.

Floyd County Drug Court program
Graduation May 19 during National Drug Court Commencement Week of May 16-20
 
Franklin County Drug Court program
• Participate in Adopt-A-Highway on May 19
• Field trip to local history museum
 
Graves County Drug Court program
Graduation May 23

Green/Marion/Taylor/Washington Drug Court program
Graduation May 17 during National Drug Court Commencement Week of May 16-20
 
Greenup/Lewis Drug Court program
• Program supervisor will talk with community leaders in Ashland about Drug Court and employment for felons on May 26
• Tabs for Tots event in Greenup County on May 12-13 to benefit Ronald McDonald House. Also distribute information at the event about Drug Court and the Ronald McDonald House
• Sobriety picnic at Serenity Acres on May 13
• Participants and staff will participate in the Race Against Drugs on May 14 and encourage others to join them in the RAD.
• Assisted with the Red Bud Run in Lewis County on April 30 to raise money for the Boys and Girls Clubs and talk about Drug Court

Hardin County Drug Court program
Host Bridging the Gap meeting between the local Alcoholics Anonymous/Narcotics Anonymous and judges

Harrison/Nicholas/Pendleton/Robertson Drug Court program
• Car wash fundraiser May 21
• Graduation May 17 during National Drug Court Commencement Week of May 16-20

Henderson County Drug Court program
Graduation May 16 during National Drug Court Commencement Week of May 16-20

Henry/Oldham/Trimble Drug Court program
Graduation May 18 during National Drug Court Commencement Week of May 16-20

Hopkins County Drug Court program
Graduation May 6
 
Jefferson County Drug Court program
Proclamations

Knott County Drug Court program
• Participate in Relay for Life walk on May 20
• Assist with the Dad’s Day Out event May 21. The Knott Drug Abuse Council, state Department of Fish and Wildlife, Kentucky State Police and the Knott County Sheriff’s Office will sponsor the event, which includes free fishing, archery, boat rides and food. Children will receive a gift to encourage them to go outside and exercise.
• Sponsor bake sale on May 8 and donate proceeds to the American Cancer Society
• Sponsor car wash on May 13 and donate proceeds to the American Cancer Society
 
Knox County Drug Court program
• Collect used cell phones for the Cell Phones for Soldiers program
• Graduation May 19 during National Drug Court Commencement Week of May 16-20
• Proclamations

Leslie County Drug Court program                      
Graduation May 18 during National Drug Court Commencement Week of May 16-20

Logan/Todd Drug Court program
• Graduation May 24
• Drug Court alumni will host a booth May 21 at the Strawberry Festival in Russellville to sell raffle tickets and provide information on addiction. Raffle proceeds benefit Drug Court alumni group.
• The Drug Court Relay for Life team is hosting a booth at the Strawberry Festival in Russellville to sell cakes and pies and donate the proceeds to Relay for Life.

McCracken County Drug Court program
Graduation May 19 during National Drug Court Commencement Week of May 16-20

McCreary County Drug Court program
Graduation May 20 during National Drug Court Commencement Week of May 16-20

Perry County Drug Court program
Graduation May 24

Pike County Drug Court program
Graduation May 18 during National Drug Court Commencement Week of May 16-20

Simpson County Drug Court program
Graduation May 19 during National Drug Court Commencement Week of May 16-20

Warren County Drug Court program
Graduation May 26

Kentucky Drug Court
Drug Court is proving to be a positive solution to a serious social problem. The success of Drug Court can be measured in the number of lives changed and the cost savings to Kentucky taxpayers. The program has had a significant impact on reducing rearrest, reconviction and reincarceration rates. The program has resulted in increased payment of delinquent child support and improved employment rates. For every $1 spent on Drug Court graduates, the state saves $2.72 on what it would have spent on incarcerating these individuals.

The mission is to provide a court-supervised treatment alternative that stops illicit drug use and related criminal activity and promotes a positive life change through substance abuse education and treatment.

How Drug Court Works
Drug Court coordinates the efforts of the judiciary, prosecution, defense bar, probation, law enforcement, mental health, social services and treatment communities to actively intervene and break the cycle of substance abuse, addiction and crime.

The program consists of three phases that last a total of at least one year and are followed by aftercare. Drug Court staff and participants work together to develop individual program plans with specific responsibilities and goals with timetables. Plans include group, family and individual counseling; frequent and random urine testing; education and vocational training; scheduled payments of restitution, child support and court fees; and health and community activities. Participants report directly to their Drug Court judge, who rewards progress and sanctions noncompliance.

When participants successfully complete the program, charges may be dismissed through diversion, or conditional discharge may be granted through probation. Judges who participate in Drug Court volunteer their time to the program. Most of the program’s funding comes from state funds approved through the Kentucky General Assembly.

For more information about Drug Court, visit http://courts.ky.gov/stateprograms/Drug+Court/.
 
Administrative Office of the Courts
The AOC is the operations arm for the state court system and supports the activities of nearly 3,300 court system employees and 403 elected justices, judges and circuit court clerks. As the fiscal agent for the state court system, the AOC executes the Judicial Branch budget.