SOUTH VALLEY DRUG COURT RESUSCITATED

Latest Version Of The Program Will Have One Less Probation Officer.

VISALIA - The juvenile drug court program crushed by staffing cuts five
weeks ago will be revived with one less probation officer and a different
method of monitoring sobriety.

The probation officer who would make random visits to youths' homes for
drug testing is no longer part of the drug court. That leaves one probation
officer for the entire program.

Instead of at-home testing, youths taking part in the voluntary Juvenile
Drug Court program will now have to provide urine samples weekly to clinics
located throughout the county.

Tulare County leaders who head the program, which is being redeveloped and
doesn't have a start-up date, will be tough on themselves to make sure the
program is a success, they said.

The reason for all of this is simple, said Superior Court Judge Melinda
Reed, who presides over juvenile court: Juvenile Drug Court has been one of
the best weapons to combat crime. Letting it go without a struggle would be
ridiculous, those involved with starting it up said.

"The youths of this county as well as across the country are in need of a
program that addresses the needs of youth drug problems," Reed said. "My
desire is to continue something that already worked here."

Juvenile court officials began referring youths to drug court earlier this
week, even though it hasn't started officially. County probation officers,
the Health and Human Services Agency and the Superior Court judges will
meet Nov. 15 to pinpoint specifics about how the program will work and when
it should start.

Referred youths will be evaluated by trained drug and alcohol counselors to
determine whether they would benefit from the program once it resumes, Reed
said. They are looking for youths who want to get away from drugs and
criminal lifestyles and turn their lives around, she said.

60 slots in program

At this point, there will be one part-time probation officer supervisor.
That supervisor will oversee one full-time probation officer, who would be
in charge of all the youths' cases. About 60 youths will be involved with
the 9-month, three-phase program, Reed said.

Juvenile Court Commissioner Hugo Loza will oversee the drug court and hand
out punishments if youths violate the agreement.

"We see that there is a need for it," Loza said, adding that
methamphetamine use among youths in this area is on the rise.

The new program will be modeled after the one shut down last month by its
creator, Tulare County Superior Court Judge William Silveira.

Silveira set up the drug court four years ago. The first six months of the
9-month program involved weekly counseling sessions and drug testing, which
tapered down to less frequent sessions.

Original drug court ends

Changes to the drug court began in August when the Probation Department
eliminated one of the court's two probation officers.

The Health and Human Services agency decided in September to cut the number
of drug counselors from four to two and changed the rigorous procedure for
drug testing.

Silveira, calling the changes a "recipe for failure," ended the program
last month.

Reed and others said they plan to watch the revived program closely. They
will try to help the same number of youths, even if they are one probation
officer short.

If problems arise, they're willing to give the program's structure another
look, she said.

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