Aug.18, 2020
St. Charles County, Missouri - The 11th Judicial Circuit Treatment Court in St. Charles County is celebrating 20 years of providing a critical component of criminal justice reform. This judicially supervised program is designed to help individuals with substance use disorders stay in the community while they get necessary treatment and continue to support their families.
Since the treatment court began in August 2000, the program has successfully graduated 1,628 individuals with 11 more scheduled to graduate at the end of this month. The recidivism rate is just 6 percent and 40 babies have been born drug-free to participants in the program. The treatment court offers the following tracks: Adult/Drug, Co-Occurring, DWI, Family, Post-Plea and Veterans.
“I am extremely proud to be involved with the St. Charles County Treatment Court,” says Judge Phillip Ohlms, who has presided over the program since it’s inception. “These programs attract people who are not afraid to try new solutions to big problems. The success we’ve had is a direct result of creative prosecution, innovative treatment and dedicated probation officers.”
In 2013, the program was recognized as one of only eight National Mentor Court programs in the country by the National Association of Drug Court Professionals. This is the program’s third term as a mentor court and courts from around the country visit to observe and talk with the treatment court team about best practices.
“Drug Court gave me the supervision, attention and support I needed. It helped me get through until I could do it on my own. Today I am happy and so blessed. Drug Court saved my life,” says Megan, a Drug Court Graduate.
For more information about the Treatment Court, contact Julie Seymore at Julie.Seymore@courts.mo.gov.
Photo caption: Treatment Court team members include staff from the St. Charles County Prosecuting Attorney’s office, Preferred Family Healthcare, Averhealth Drug Testing, SCRAM services, the local Probation and Parole office, St. Charles County Juvenile Justice, Children’s Services, Rising Phoenix, the Veterans Administration, the St. Charles County Sheriff’s Department and the St. Charles City Police Department.