DRUG COURT PROGRAM LAPSES, LEAVING CLIENTS UNTREATED

Jackson County legislators will hold an emergency meeting today after
learning that drug-addicted offenders are going untreated while the
county selects a new agency to run its drug court program.

The drug court, which is financed by the county's anti-drug tax,
allows offenders to avoid jail by completing drug treatment.

But some of the program's 400 clients have gone without regular
treatment programs since March 31, when contracts with County Court
Services and Addiction Recovery Services ended. A new contract with
Swope Health Service was to have begun April 18, but legislators
withdrew it Tuesday, saying Swope violated purchasing rules by
changing its contract proposal after sealed bids were opened.

Legislator Robert Stringfield was outraged Thursday to learn about the
disruptions in treatment.

"What we have here is people not being treated," he said. "What we
have is a public safety issue."

Legislators are expected to address the problem today by extending the
contract with County Court Services while it selects a new agency.

But anti-drug tax program administrator Jim Nunnelly said a transition
plan had been in place.

"People are being cared for," he said.

Nunnelly said the drug court had not taken on any new clients since
March 31 because no agency was in place to screen them. He also
conceded that regular weekly and biweekly counseling was not taking
place.

The transition plan requires offenders to appear in court more often,
and includes increased scrutiny by probation and parole officers.
Regular drug screening has continued, and those who test positive are
being sent to other agencies for treatment, he said. He added that
support services, including employment and housing assistance, are
ongoing.

Nunnelly said that some disruption to treatment occurred every time
the county changed drug court treatment agencies, but that there also
had been a transition plan. He did not have information Thursday on
the length of those earlier disruptions but said the program had
changed agencies four times since it began in 1993.

Stringfield also complained that at Tuesday's meeting legislative
Chairman Dan Tarwater said there was no disruption in service because
Addiction Recovery and some staff from County Court Services were
continuing to treat drug court clients.

"I'm tired of the spin," Stringfield said.

On Thursday, Tarwater said he thought that statement true at the time
because one Addiction Recovery counselor assigned to Jackson County
had remained on the job through Monday.

"Up to then, my understanding was that anybody who needed service was
receiving it," Tarwater said.

However, Addiction Recovery Service counselor Dave Price said he was
unaware of his agency treating any Jackson County drug court clients
since March 31.

Addiction Recovery owner Timothy Donaldson and County Court Services
owner Judy Chase could not be reached for comment.

Some treatment of Jackson County drug offenders has not occurred in
the past two weeks, and no new contract for treatment is in place.

County officials have a transition plan, but the Jackson County
Legislature is holding an emergency meeting today to extend the
previous contract.