In this town, and in this state, people are getting second chances through life-changing programs called Treatment Courts. These courts are changing lives, one person at a time, giving each one of them hope and the tools to build a life of recovery and be a law-abiding member of our community. Treatment Courts are changing lives and making our communities safer.
It’s National Treatment Court Month
May is National Treatment Court Month. It is a time to acknowledge how Treatment Courts are saving lives and making our community safer. Michigan’s Treatment Courts address the root causes of crime among substance use dependent offenders utilizing evidence-based practices to stop the cycle of crime and build a life of recovery. Based on the research, Treatment Courts have been proven to be the most successful justice intervention in our nation’s history.
Here in Huron County, we offer hope to individuals who saw no hope in their lives with our Thumb Regional Sobriety Court (TRSC) and the Thumb Regional Recovery Court (TRRC). Treatment Courts are different than traditional courts because we break down the silos typically in the justice system and build a team of diverse professionals to work together and provide an individualized plan of accountability and treatment for those in the program. Treatment Courts focus on individuals who are substance dependent and unable to break the cycle of dependency.
Our Sobriety Court focuses on individuals who drink too much and then drive and have a dependency on alcohol. The Recovery Court supports individuals who are committing crimes and dependent on other drugs. Both of these courts are designed to address the underlying reasons for the substance dependency and ultimately change the participant’s behaviors for a lifetime.
“I have witnessed several success stories of individuals who have succeeded in life because of our Treatment Courts, and they have not returned to the court system. Treatment Courts are making a difference in this county.”
Huron County Prosecutor Tim Rutkowski
Making a Difference!
There are a total of 210 lifesaving Treatment Courts in Michigan making a difference. Participation in a Treatment Court is no easy task, as the requirements are rigorous. With frequent court appearances, frequent alcohol and other drug testing, intensive individualized treatment, and rigorous supervision, these Courts are not for the faint of heart. It takes work, total commitment, and perseverance. Over the past 10 years, our TRSC has seen over 180 participants who successfully completed the program and changed their lives. The TRRC is newer, started four years ago, with 10 graduates.
The TRSC program helped me see that there is life without alcohol. Prior to TRSC, alcohol was my crutch. It was always there to help me (I thought) through good, bad, and past issues. Through this program I have learned to start dealing with my feelings that made me very uncomfortable. With the help from my counselors, meetings, the TRSC panel and more, I was able to start peeling away the layers I had built up over the years. I am still working on it, but this program gave me options to help me even after I am done and graduated. I came in with a black cloud and I am leaving with a bright future that I can see now that I know that I have a problem with alcohol, and I am an alcoholic.
Treatment Court Graduate
This story is just one of thousands from across this county, our state, and this country that all demonstrate why Treatment Courts are vital to addressing the epidemic of substance use dependency and crime. It is this story and the thousand others that tell a tale of success, of recovery and of healing. It is a story of new beginnings because of these Treatment Courts and all of those across the country.
