DRUG TREATMENT COURT AIMS TO CURB THE NUMBERS

Beginning this week, drug and alcohol abusers will have another tool
in the fight against their addictions.

Drug Treatment Court (DTC) begins this Friday in McDowell. From there
it will be held in McDowell and Rutherford counties, which make up
Judicial District 29A, on alternate Fridays.

The district's Senior Resident Superior Court Judge Laura J. "Suzy"
Bridges wrote the grant requesting funding for the program. McDowell
and Rutherford have ranked atop the state in the number of meth lab
busts for the past three years.

"We've got the highest population of meth addicts in North Carolina,"
Bridges stated in a previous interview. "Drug court will provide
treatment and other services for addicted people. It works, and this
one will work as well." DTC is an intensive, highly structured
program designed to identify and treat offenders whose criminal
activities are generally related to substance abuse. The program
places offenders in counseling and provides structure in their lives.
DTC's mission is to break the cycle of drug and alcohol addiction by
offering the tools to stay clean, such as counseling, housing and
school and employment assistance.

"The whole purpose is treatment," said Karen Long-Moore, who was
recently hired as the drug court coordinator. "Drugs are a dangerous
mistress. They don't allow you to do anything else. Until you do
something about that addiction, nothing in your life will ever work."

Long-Moore, a native of Morganton, is a graduate of The University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill and has served as a probation officer
in Rutherford County for the past 24 years.

She said she started taking referrals for the program two weeks ago.
To participate, a person must be diagnosed as an addict. They are
disqualified from the program if they are violent offenders; have
convictions for possession with intent to sell or deliver a
controlled substance, sale and delivery of a controlled substance,
trafficking drugs or manufacturing drugs; or have committed
weapons-related offenses. Long-Moore stated that, once a person is
assessed, their information is brought before a team of court
personnel. That group will meet before each court session to discuss
current and new cases, make recommendations to the judge and talk
about incentives or sanctions.

"Drug court has better results because it's a team working together
to make decisions, not just one person," said the coordinator. "We
work together for the good of each individual. It's a win-win
situation for all involved." McDowell's team consists of Judge
Bridges; Long-Moore; Cindy Wharton, court administrator; Jennifer
LeMieux, judicial district manager for the Division of Community
Corrections; District Attorney Brad Greenway; Assistant District
Attorneys Alex Bass and Marie Hartwell; Defense Attorney Krinn Evans;
Sara Christenbury, treatment counselor; Jeff Appling, chief
probation/parole officer; and Probation/Parole Officer Brad Pittman.
Participants will appear before the same judge (Bridges) every other
Friday. DTC will provide incentives - ranging from applause and
praise to coupons and gift certificates -- for positive behavior and
sanctions - ranging from reprimand and having to write papers to
community service and jail time - for negative behavior.

"We give positive support and encouragement, but we deal with the
negativity as well," Long-Moore stated. "Hopefully, we'll be able to
turn the negative to positive. We make note of both negative and
positive behavior." All program participants will begin in Level I,
the most intensive phase, and will stay there for at least three
months. Level I requirements include one face-to-face meeting with
the case coordinator per week, one face-to-face contact with the
probation officer every two weeks, enrollment in appropriate
treatment programs and attendance at all group and individual
counseling sessions, a 6 p.m. curfew, attendance at a minimum of
three Alcoholics Anonymous/Narcotics Anonymous meetings per week and
a minimum of three drug screens per week.

Levels II and III are less intensive, as the person moves toward
reintegration into society. Upon graduating, they receive aftercare.
"We expect a lot out of them, but we give a lot of support, too,"
said Long-Moore. "We won't give up on them like other treatment
programs do." Among the services available for participants are
outpatient and inpatient treatment, 12-step programs, GED classes,
literacy tutoring, continued education services, budgeting,
vocational rehabilitation, life skills training, housing services and
anger management.

Thirty participants will be allowed in each county. Long-Moore said
she will eventually have an office in McDowell County. Until that
time, she can be reached at (828) 287-9783.