Mecklenburg County Government: ​May Is Drug Court Month

Davidson NC

04 May, 2022

6:24 PM

Description

Press release from the Mecklenburg County Government: 5/3/2022 Description1 May is Drug Court Month Learn More About These Life-Changing Programs Mecklenburg County's Criminal Justice Services department (CJS) is celebrating all month the lifesaving work of its Drug Treatment Court S.T.E.P Program. S.T.E.P. (Supervision, Treatment, Education, and Prevention) provides evidence-based treatment and accountability to those struggling with substance abuse and mental health disorders. CJS realizes that incarceration is not the way out of problems like our opioid epidemic. The critical goal is to lead people out of the justice system and into long-term recovery. S.T.E.P. also provides connections to life skills training, housing, and employment, assisting individuals to sustain long-term recovery. Additionally, through the Drug Treatment Court S.T.E.P Program's DWI Recovery Court, CJS makes our roads and communities safer while providing treatment to help repeat impaired drivers get back on track. There's more: Mecklenburg County S.T.E.P. Program Recovery Courts have served more than 9,700 individuals between its inception in February 1995 and June 30, 2021 S.T.E.P. Program participants receive more than 14,000 units of service annually (treatment sessions, court session, case manager sessions, probation sessions) Average length of stay in the S.T.E.P. Program is more than 500 days (number of days from referral to discharge) 85% program retention rate S.T.E.P. Program recidivism rate for FY21 was 16.82% (percentage of individuals with one or more new convictions within two years of program discharge date) Between 2003 and 2022, 369 children have been reunified with their parents through the F.I.R.S.T. Recovery Court On Monday, May 2, 2022, both Gov. Roy Cooper and Chief Justice Paul Newby signed proclamations declaring May 2022 Drug Court Month in North Carolina. Please join us as we celebrate 27 years of CJS working diligently to serve the people of Mecklenburg County with innovative programs and dedication. For more information, visit MeckNC.gov. For media release – contact is Janeanne Gonzales, [email protected] ### May is Drug Court Month Learn More About These Life-Changing Programs Mecklenburg County's Criminal Justice Services department (CJS) is celebrating all month the lifesaving work of its Drug Treatment Court S.T.E.P Program. S.T.E.P. (Supervision, Treatment, Education, and Prevention) provides evidence-based treatment and accountability to those struggling with substance abuse and mental health disorders. CJS realizes that incarceration is not the way out of problems like our opioid epidemic. The critical goal is to lead people out of the justice system and into long-term recovery. S.T.E.P. also provides connections to life skills training, housing, and employment, assisting individuals to sustain long-term recovery. Additionally, through the Drug Treatment Court S.T.E.P Program's DWI Recovery Court, CJS makes our roads and communities safer while providing treatment to help repeat impaired drivers get back on track. There's more: On Monday, May 2, 2022, both Gov. Roy Cooper and Chief Justice Paul Newby signed proclamations declaring May 2022 Drug Court Month in North Carolina. Please join us as we celebrate 27 years of CJS working diligently to serve the people of Mecklenburg County with innovative programs and dedication. For more information, visit MeckNC.gov. For media release – contact is Janeanne Gonzales, [email protected] ### This press release was produced by the Mecklenburg County Government. The views expressed here are the author's own.