The city and county governments will collaborate again in their juvenile drug court program after presenting their request for a renewal at the county and city commission meetings on Tuesday.
After losing state funding three years ago, County Attorney Claud Porter said the city and county have picked up the funding for the drug court program that offers assistance for juveniles suffering from substance abuse issues between the ages of 12 and 17.
Currently, the costs for juvenile drug court would be about $70,000 from both governments, which is a $10,000 decrease in costs from three years before.
Porter said the juvenile drug court program is accepting volunteers to work about 4-6 hours per week.
To be eligible for the program, one must be 12-17 years in age, have been charged with drug offenses that are non-violent and non-sexual and they must have parental or guardian participation for the duration of the 24-week program, which meets every Thursday.
Porter said the program has seen a lot of great feedback from those who’ve participated, saying that it has served as a positive method in getting kids off substances and focused on their future. Currently, around 10 different community partners assist with volunteering for the program.
Familial support is a big component of the juvenile drug court program, and Porter said the requirement for parental and/or guardian support allows kids to have a higher success rate in becoming drug and alcohol-free.
