CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A milestone for Kanawha County’s Drug Court was marked during a Thursday graduation ceremony in Charleston that included the 100th graduate of the alternative drug and alcohol treatment program available to qualifying, non-violent offenders.
“It’s just really very rewarding to be a part of something that works and makes people’s lives better,” said Kanawha County Circuit Judge Jennifer Bailey. “I’m very honored and proud to be a part of it.”
Kanawha County’s Drug Court first opened its doors in May 2009.
As of its 18th graduation ceremony on Thursday afternoon, the Court had seen 103 people successfully complete the program which offers comprehensive addiction treatment and rehabilitative services, what Bailey called an “effective tool.”
“In this way, we provide intensive treatment, supervision, we monitor them and we aim to achieve successful treatment outcomes which really aren’t addressed in the traditional penal institution,” Bailey said.
Graduates are eligible for dismissal of the original charges filed against them and can start with a “clean slate,” according to Bailey.
Among the latest Kanawha County Drug Court graduates was the first person to complete the newly-created Veteran’s Track.
“Veterans do have different needs. They come back with, particularly, mental health issues that we wanted to be able to address,” Bailey explained.
Going forward, “I would love to see more people have the opportunity to participate in our Drug Court program,” Bailey said.
Outgoing West Virginia Supreme Court Justice Brent Benjamin, who’s long championed Drug Court programs and appointed Bailey to lead Kanawha County’s efforts, was on hand for Thursday’s ceremony at the Kanawha County Courthouse.
Currently, Kanawha County’s Drug Court program is one of 28 adult programs operating in West Virginia via 34 individual courts covering 46 counties.
The counties without such Drug Courts are Barbour, Braxton, Clay, Gilmer, Grant, Mineral, Taylor, Tucker and Webster, according to information from the state Supreme Court.