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

FRANKFORT, Ky. -- Participants in Drug Court programs across Kentucky have been busy helping their communities in celebration of National Drug Court Month in May. While National Drug Court Month is observed annually in May, some programs recognize it with projects earlier in the year or have ongoing projects. 

The national theme for the month was All Rise: Putting Drug Court Within Reach of Every Person in Need. Kentucky Drug Court programs adopted an additional theme – Drug Courts: Keeping Kentucky Clean.

“We encouraged participants to conduct a cleanup project in their community for the special month and they stepped up and cleaned parks, helped elderly individuals, sponsored food drives and more,” said Connie Payne, executive officer of the Department of Drug Court. “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.” 

Drug Court programs statewide are administered through the Administrative Office of the Courts, Department of Drug Court (Kentucky Drug Court), in Frankfort.

In recognition of National Drug Court Month, many of the local Drug Court programs also held graduation ceremonies in May. Some programs received proclamations from their local governments recognizing the month as Drug Court Month in their city and/or county.

Here is how some Drug Court programs recognized or are recognizing National Drug Court Month (activities have taken place unless otherwise noted):

Anderson County
Drug Court participants cleaned at the Anderson Public Library.

Boone and Gallatin counties

• Drug Court program alumni joined the city of Covington and the Clean and Green Committee to start the Goebel Park Recovery Garden. Drug Court graduates from Boone, Campbell and Kenton counties and neighborhood residents will work on growing produce and flowers to be donated to soup kitchens and Transitions recovery center and sold to restaurants.
• A Drug Court staff member was a guest on Guide to Feeling Better, a show on the local public access channel. The topic was intervention for those who abuse drugs. 
• Boone County Fiscal Court had a reading of a Drug Court Month Proclamation at its meeting.

Bullitt County
Drug Court participants cleaned up the park and recreation area that was affected by flooding. They partnered with the Shepherdsville Public Works Department.

Calloway and Marshall counties
Participants helped organize and participated in the Run for Recovery, which is in its second year. Some participants graduated from the program at a ceremony in May.

Christian County
The local Drug Court program celebrated its 10th anniversary. Some participants graduated from the program at a ceremony in May.

Clark and Madison counties

• Participants are sponsoring a food drive for local backpack programs and the community food bank (started in May and will continue until school starts).
• Drug Court Month proclamations were signed in Clark and Madison counties.
• Some participants graduated from the program at a ceremony in May.

Clinton County
Participants cleaned at a local cemetery. They also collected soda can tabs to be recycled and donated the profits to the Ronald McDonald House in Lexington.

Fayette County

• The local Drug Court program sponsored a breakfast for central Kentucky employers. The purpose of the breakfast was to have an open discussion about the benefits of hiring ex-offenders and encourage employers to consider hiring ex-offenders.
• Participants took part in a five-kilometer race sponsored by the Chrysalis House, a substance abuse treatment program for women and their children.
• Some participants graduated from the program at a ceremony in May.

Franklin County

• Participants worked with AmeriCorps members and about 2,000 other community volunteers to build beds and prepare bedtime bags for Kentucky children in need. This took place during a 24-hour building blitz.
• Participants helped repair homes and other buildings in the community for those who could not afford or perform the repairs.
• Participants took part in an Adopt-A-Highway cleanup.
• Some participants graduated from the program at a ceremony in May.

Graves County
Participants collected money around last Christmas and recently sponsored a car wash as fundraisers for The Lighthouse, a shelter for women and children. Some participants graduated from the program at a ceremony in May.

Greenup and Lewis counties

• Participants will take part in the River Sweep program on June 19 to clean areas along the river. 
• Participants collected soda can tabs to be recycled. Profits are donated to the Ronald McDonald House in Lexington.
• The local Drug Court program sponsored a Hawaiian-themed sobriety celebration picnic and game night for Drug Court team members, graduates, participants and their families and friends.
• Participants ran in the Race Against Drugs sponsored by the Greenup County Sheriff’s Office.

Hardin County
Participants provided food for local food banks, built a Habitat for Humanity house, helped repair homes and other buildings in the community for those who could not afford or perform the repairs and assisted with Relay for Life. 

Harrison County
Participants sponsored a car wash to raise money for the local Champions for a Drug-Free Kentucky group.

Henry, Oldham and Trimble counties
Participants started a recycling project, conducted several community cleanup projects and are donating items to the Host House for runaways, teenage mothers and orphans (ongoing project).

Jackson County

• Participants submitted their autobiographies to be used to make a book for inmates in the local jail. The goal of the project is to reach inmates who are struggling with addiction or know someone who is.
• Participants cleaned a 1.3-mile stretch of highway, picking up approximately 1,200 pounds of trash.
• The local Drug Court program sponsored Family Fun Day at a local park for participants and their families.
• The mayor and the county judge-executive signed Drug Court Month proclamations.

Jefferson County

• Participants helped the local Drug Court program host a fun day for the women and families of Wayside Christian Mission with food, games, prizes and more. Participants conducted fundraisers to earn money to host the event. This was the second year for this Community Give Back event.
• Participants took part in an area cleanup event hosted by the city of Louisville.
• Some participants graduated from the program at a ceremony in May.

Jessamine County
Participants took part in the High Bridge Park cleanup.

Knott County

• Participants took part in a community cleanup, filling 49 bags with trash, and in an Adopt-A-Highway cleanup.
• Participants attended the National Day of Prayer hosted by county.
• Participants assisted local agencies with the Dad’s Day Out event at Carr’s Fork Lake, where activities included a cookout, fishing, archery and boat rides.
• Participants released balloons in front of the judicial center to represent drug-free babies, successful graduates and those who are still suffering with addiction.
• The program’s alumni group hosted a Family Day Out with a cookout and games for the children of former and current participants.
• The local Drug Court program participated in the National Association of Drug Court Professionals’ Recovery Roll Call. For the roll call, names of participants (first name and last initial only) who graduated in May were submitted to be recognized at the NADCP conference.
• Some participants graduated from the program at a ceremony in May.

Knox and Laurel counties

• Participants took part in a community cleanup at Buckhorn State Park and an Adopt-A-Highway cleanup.
• The Knox County judge-executive and the Barbourville mayor signed Drug Court Month proclamations.
• Some participants graduated from the program at a ceremony in May.

Leslie County
The local Drug Court program started a summer community service project in which participants will mow grass for local people who are elderly or disabled and for cemeteries and churches. The program received donated funds to purchase lawn equipment. Some participants graduated from the program at a ceremony in May.
 
McCreary County
Participants took part in community roadside cleanups and some participants graduated from the program at a ceremony in May.

Perry County
Participants took part in a community cleanup at Buckhorn State Park and an Adopt-A-Highway cleanup. Some participants graduated from the program at a ceremony in May.

Pike County
A panel of participants spoke with students at Johnson County Alternative School about Drug Court and substance abuse and recovery.

Shelby County

• Participants took part in cleaning projects in Shelby County in connection with Commonwealth Cleanup Week.
• Participants in Drug Court aftercare sponsored a breakfast to feed individuals who are homeless. They raised money to pay for the event.
• Participants assisted the Shelby County Clean Community Program with putting on an Earth Day community event, including cleaning in the park and helping to promote Earth Day.
• Some participants graduated from the program at a ceremony in May.

Warren County

• Participants assisted with setting up, serving and cleaning for a Special Olympics banquet.
• Participants helped set up, chaperone and clean up after a Special Olympics dance.
• The local Drug Court program held a picnic for Drug Court program alumni, participants and their families.
• Some participants graduated from the program at a ceremony in May.

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.

The AOC is the operational arm of the Kentucky Court of Justice and supports the activities of approximately 3,400 court system employees and 403 elected justices, judges and circuit court clerks.