Kentucky

The following story highlights the results being obtained by state funding of "Drug Courts" in the Commonwealth.  Jefferson County's Drug Court was previously funded by federal aid, the County Attorney's Office and fees by the participants, but now that the 2006 Kentucky General Assembly has funded $4.6 million statewide, the Jefferson County Drug Court has a full time staff and new offices with counselors.  Of course, with the budget issues inherited from the former administration, and all levels of state government (to include education), one can only wait and see if the budget ax comes to town.

Drug court gets new life under state guidance

Six months after it nearly shut down for lack of money, Jefferson County's popular adult drug court is thriving, with more funding, more staff and more clients.

And Kentucky's chief justice is promising even bigger things in the future.
   
The drug court, which provides drug and alcohol treatment as an alternative to incarceration, has moved out of the basement of the Hall of Justice into a 5,000 square-foot building on Market Street.

Since taking over the program in July, state officials have added eight employees, including three substance-abuse counselors, eliminated weekly fees for participants and begun offering transportation provided by TARC, as well as free inpatient treatment. And the number of participants has jumped from 84 to 130.

 

"We are going to keep on expanding this program," Kentucky Chief Justice Joseph Lambert told employees and participants during a recent meeting at the new offices. "There is a tremendous need in this community, and there is not a reason in the world this can't be the finest urban drug court in the United States." 

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The 2006 General Assembly budgeted $4.8 million for the statewide drug court programs, which included funds for Jefferson County.

Now, with the state running and funding the local drug courts, it can not only provide consistent funding, but work to expand the programs, officials said.

Jefferson County's adult drug program is growing by about nine people a week right now and could conceivably handle more than 300 participants -- the program was only allowed 120 participants under federal grants.

* * * click on heading for entire story by Jason Riley in the Courier Journal.