A press release from the McHenry County Circuit Court:
22nd Judicial Circuit Receives Drug Court Enhancement Grant
The seal of the 22nd Circuit Court.
(Woodstock, IL) The 22nd Judicial Circuit of McHenry County received notice from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA) that a Drug Court Enhancement Grant was being awarded to McHenry County in the amount of $295,095 per year, for a period of three years.
The 22nd Judicial Circuit has operated a drug court program since December, 2011 and has served nearly 100 individuals who are addicted to narcotics, primarily heroin.
This grant will provide the opportunity to expand services to 50 individuals each year, which includes
- patient treatment
- outpatient treatment
- HIV
- Hepatitis B&C testing and
- case management services,
- new evidence based treatment groups, such as; Trauma Informed Moral Reconation Therapy, and medication assisted therapy.
Drug Court currently partners with Rosecrance, Centegra, the Gateway Foundation and the McHenry County Health Department; however this grant will help strengthen these collaborations and have greater impact on individuals suffering from drug addiction.
Jason Sterwerf, Director of the Office of Special Projects for the 22nd Judicial Circuit and author of the grant, said,
“This is an exciting opportunity for the drug court program to be able to enhance services and support for participants in the McHenry County Drug Court Program.”
The Drug Court exists to divert individuals who suffer from drug addiction, are at high risk to commit additional offenses and have a high need for treatment services, from the traditional criminal justice system and instead provides access to treatment, intensive probation services, drug testing and judicial oversight.
Nationally, 75% of individuals who successfully complete a drug court program are never rearrested.
Locally, 86% of the drug court participants who have graduated the program have not been rearrested as compared to the Illinois Department of Corrections, $1.2 billion dollar annual budget and a 48% re-arrest rate within three years.