Long-term site sought for drug court treatment
Posted on Friday, November 16, 2007
The Washington and Madison County Drug Court Treatment Center is in need of a permanent home, said Circuit Court Judge Mary Ann Gunn.
Drug court participants previously received treatment through Decision Point — a Springdale-based substance abuse treatment center — but as of Oct. 31, the program discontinued receiving services. So to Gunn, setting up a center for the drug court seemed like the natural step.
“ I’ve been thinking about this for several months and just decided that now was a good time, ” she said. “ I felt like it was in the best interest of our participants and our program. ”
The treatment program has since found temporary housing at the Jones Center for Families in Springdale, which opened its doors on Nov. 5. Gunn said the program received its temporary license through the Arkansas Department of Alcohol and Drug Prevention. The group will remain at the Jones Center until a new intensive outpatient treatment center is created.
“ Our next step is to be on the list for the (Arkansas ) Department of Community Correction, which should be in a few days, ” she said.
In the future, Gunn said, she hopes to combine all aspects of drug court under one roof.
“ I’d like to see the treatment center as well as probation officers from the prosecutor’s office, the Department of Correction and the public defender all in the same building, ” she said.
Currently, drug court participants must go to four separate locations to receive treatment — the Jones Center, the Historical Washington County Courthouse, the probation office and, sometimes, a separate facility for drug testing.
In addition to combining drug court services, Gunn said she also hopes to add a prevention segment to the program.
“ We need a separate office for the work we do at schools and all our community education, ” she said. “ If we could put everything under one roof, then we could expand the court for the district and one day, hopefully, for juvenile court. That’s what I envision. ”
Gunn is now seeking board members to help form the new facility.
“ I approached members of Project Right Choice because I thought they’d be a perfect match for our board, ” she said. “ We filed our articles of incorporation, and as soon as we’re able to name the board, then we can prepare our bylaws and apply for nonprofit status. ”
Project Right Choice of Northwest Arkansas addresses drug awareness and prevention with an emphasis on methamphetamine. Members of the coalition met Thursday to discuss Gunn’s proposal.
“ We could appoint a Washington / Madison Drug Court Treatment subcommittee, ” said Jess Smith, Project Right Choice chairman. “ That way people on this board can have the choice to serve on one board and not the other. ”
Project Right Choice coalition member Barbara Price-Davis suggested a less formal option.
“ We could act as a liaison between the board and the (coalition ), ” she said. “ We could commit to maybe three or four representatives from PRC to be present at every board meeting. That way the rest of the committee can serve as liaisons and representatives at other events. ”
Coalition member Don Moore agreed with Price-Davis.
“ That would keep the legal obligations out of PRC while still giving (Judge Gunn ) what she wants, ” he said. “ There’s additional liability involved in the treatment center that this board doesn’t have to be responsible for. ”
Smith encouraged coalition members to sign up as initial board members.
“ We need to have an initial board with people who are interested to get this thing off the ground, ” he said. “ It’s going to be an accountability board, not a fundraising board. ”
At least six coalition members agreed to serve as initial board members for the new treatment facility.
“ We’re committed to looking at it, ” Smith said. “ If we get in there and the bylaws aren’t to our liking, then we can resign. You’re not signing up for the army here, folks. ”
Members of Project Right Choice hope to meet with Gunn during the group’s next meeting to discuss details of the board’s responsibilities.
Gunn said community support for the new facility has been overwhelming thus far.
“ The dr ug cour t participants have been working day and night, putting together desks and using their community service hours to help organize the new center, ” she said. “ The foundation has really been active in supporting the new center as well. We’ve also had members from the Springdale and Fayetteville chambers of commerce come to our aid. We are so grateful to a number of people. It’s been quite an experience. ”
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