Stone County Drug Treatment Court graduates nine
Part one of a three-part series on how drug treatment court is addressing the community issue of drug abuse
Stone County Drug Treatment Court takes approximately 18 months to complete and involves community service, random drug testing, drug abuse and mental health treatment. Seated, left to right, are graduates: Dustin Ramsey, Mackenzie Hall, Lucky Gold, Melissa Ventressea and Natrividad Gurule.
Feb. 11, 2021
Shana Harter
Ordinarily, you will find Judge Alan Blankenship presiding over associate circuit court in Stone County each week, but Thursday, Feb. 4, 2021, Blankenship could be found holding a different type of court- Stone County’s Drug Treatment Court graduation. Nine graduates shared the stage with Blankenship, members of the drug court treatment team including the prosecutor’s office, drug treatment counselors, probation and parole office and drug treatment court administrators who have been with each participant throughout the last one and a half years. During the ceremony Blankenship recognized two members of the team for long time service with drug treatment court: Carrie Young for 13 years of service and Rhonda Burk for 16 years of service.
Stone County Drug Treatment Court began in 2004. The program which includes all of the 39th Circuit, Stone, Lawrence and Barry counties, boasts a 71 percent graduation rate. Matt Ouren, program administrator said, “We only take high risk, repeat offenders, active users in crisis. They fare incredibly better, after three years, than those who go to prison.” While speaking about the drug and alcohol abuse within our area Oren added “Its not just a court problem, it’s a community problem. It cannot just be swept under the rug. We need everyone’s involvement to make a difference.”
Join us next week when we bring you the storiy of two drug court graduates as they share the paths that led them to addiction and how drug court has affected their lives, as well as their hopes for the future. In the coming weeks we will also be talking to those who make drug court possible: Judge Blankenship, Matt Ouren, program administrator and others who help participants learn to live a drug and alcohol life and to address the issues that led them to drug court.
Shana Harter
Ordinarily, you will find Judge Alan Blankenship presiding over associate circuit court in Stone County each week, but Thursday, Feb. 4, 2021, Blankenship could be found holding a different type of court- Stone County’s Drug Treatment Court graduation. Nine graduates shared the stage with Blankenship, members of the drug court treatment team including the prosecutor’s office, drug treatment counselors, probation and parole office and drug treatment court administrators who have been with each participant throughout the last one and a half years. During the ceremony Blankenship recognized two members of the team for long time service with drug treatment court: Carrie Young for 13 years of service and Rhonda Burk for 16 years of service.
Stone County Drug Treatment Court began in 2004. The program which includes all of the 39th Circuit, Stone, Lawrence and Barry counties, boasts a 71 percent graduation rate. Matt Ouren, program administrator said, “We only take high risk, repeat offenders, active users in crisis. They fare incredibly better, after three years, than those who go to prison.” While speaking about the drug and alcohol abuse within our area Oren added “Its not just a court problem, it’s a community problem. It cannot just be swept under the rug. We need everyone’s involvement to make a difference.”
Join us next week when we bring you the storiy of two drug court graduates as they share the paths that led them to addiction and how drug court has affected their lives, as well as their hopes for the future. In the coming weeks we will also be talking to those who make drug court possible: Judge Blankenship, Matt Ouren, program administrator and others who help participants learn to live a drug and alcohol life and to address the issues that led them to drug court.