TEEN DRUG COURT: OFFICIALS ORGANIZING NEW APPROACH REHABILITATION

They don't want to "reinvent the wheel," but they do want to redirect kids
toward a better future.

A panel of 10 people, including individuals with the school system and
court officials, is working to establish a teen drug court in Henderson County.

Teen drug court is rehabilitation program that takes young people between
the ages of 13 and 17 who have been charged with a crime and offers them a
chance to learn how to live a drug-free life and to expunge their record.

To participate, a juvenile must meet certain criteria, including a recorded
history of alcohol and substance abuse, no violent offenses, no charges
involving firearms and no sex offenses, said Henderson District Judge Rob
Wiederstein.

Between 10 and 20 teens will be chosen to start the program, which is being
modeled after programs used in adult drug courts.

"There's no question that adult drug courts have been more successful then
anything else we have," said Wiederstein, who noted Henderson lacks an
adult drug court.

The idea of a teen drug court was presented to Wiederstein by the Kentucky
Administrative Office of the Courts about a year and a half ago.

"They said if you're interested, then you have to go through training
workshops and organize 10 people to go with you," Wiederstein said.

Another requirement is that certain professions had to be represented: A
prosecutor, a judge, public defender, a statistician, someone from the
school system, a drug treatment provider and someone in law enforcement.
Finally, the group will have to apply for federal funding in February.

Wiederstein said if Henderson doesn't get the grant -- which would
hopefully include enough money to hire a drug court coordinator -- it would
make it that much more difficult to establish a drug court.

"If we don't get the grant, we'll have to sit down as a team and ask
ourselves if we want to move forward," he said.

Members of the drug court panel include Henderson County Schools social
worker Rhonda Gillham, Kentucky Cabinet for Families and Children social
worker Jamie Hargiss, University of Kentucky assistant professor Matthew
Hiller, who works at the school's Center for Drug and Alcohol Research;
Department of Juvenile Justice supervisor Kim Jackson, Henderson County
public defender Ginger Massamore, Involvement Inc. director Bob Mitchell,
Henderson County Attorney Charlie McCollom, Methodist Hospital social
worker David Solomon, Henderson Police Officer Tony Fanok and Wiederstein.
All but Hiller work from offices in Henderson.

This group spent several weeks in seminars, Wiederstein said, "learning
about teen-agers, what they think, what motivates them to try drugs and how
we can get them off of them."

The drug court system traditionally starts out with a phase that involves
"intensive court supervision," Wiederstein said.

As the teen graduates to the next level, court appearances are scaled back
until the final phase when the youth comes only about once a month. "The
idea is to only supervise what they need you to," Wiederstein said. In the
initial phase, juveniles would make an appearance once a week in drug court
where reports from their group counselors and/or individual counselors
would be heard, he said. Also, an account of how the student is doing in
school would be presented by a representative of the school, and the
parents would be in attendance.

At some point during each week of the first phase of drug court, the teen
would be submit to a drug screening.

"In drug court, when a kid becomes a part of it they give up certain
rights," Wiederstein said.

So if a teen tests positive for drugs the punishment could be as severe as
a few days in a juvenile facility. If that's the discipline the panel
agrees on, Wiederstein said, "they're going right then. No trial."

But discipline is only one facet of drug court.

"We're focusing on the kids' strengths, too," he said. "Praising these kids
when they do well. Finding out what they're good at and amplifying it."

Additionally, Wiederstein said "we make sure they get treatment. No one can
use the excuse there's no money."

Wiederstein said the panel would be actively involved in each teen's case
by meeting once a week to discuss what sanctions, privileges or guidance
the young person needs.

Another positive aspect of drug court would be the mandated involvement of
parents or legal guardians.

"If the parent commitment is not very high, then the chances of a kid
getting into the program aren't very good," Wiederstein said. "Because
parent involvement is a leading factor to success, we're looking at having
parents do group therapy with other parents. And (maybe) having these
parents discuss car pooling and combining any other resources they may have."

Panel members Kim Jackson and David Solomon say the parent participation in
teen drug court is a major selling point for them.

"The biggest shortcoming in drug treatment is parent participation" or lack
thereof, Solomon said.

"In drug court, the family is involved," Jackson said.

"So a child just can't volunteer (for the program). The family has to
volunteer," Solomon said.

Jackson, who works with the Department of Juvenile Justice, said she is
excited about the "intensiveness of the program. And having the weekly
contact with the kids."

Solomon, a social worker through Methodist Hospital, says he is hopeful but
slightly skeptical.

"Adolescent substance abuse treatment is in its infancy," Solomon said.
"The whole field is scrambling to get information on what works."

Solomon said "the old ways" or the traditional 12-step program don't work
for treating most teens who abuse drugs.

"So drug court, I hope, will help us introduce a non-traditional approach
to treatment," he said.

"My concern is not reinventing the wheel. Not doing the same old thing."
But, he said, "I'm very hopeful. We want to help kids that maybe in the end
have tried everything the current system can do and these kids got left behind.

"Drug court breaks down the system walls and the policy walls each agency
has that can cause the cracks that teens fall through," Solomon said.

"Treatment needs to be different for kids," Jackson said.

And, she said, "This approach (drug court) allows kids to be together and
work the program together."

"The people who help you the best are the ones who've been in the
situation," Solomon said.

"We have a long way to go," he said. "I think that teen drug court can help
by customizing treatment for our community."

"The team we work with is truly invested in kids," Solomon said. "We all
know the problems and are aware of the problems. We all want to jump
fences. We are excited about having a new opportunity."