$1.2M FEDERAL GRANT WILL BOOST DRUG COURT

People Don't Come To Drug Court Willingly.

Pushed and prodded all the way, they do it with the hope that they'll
regain custody of their children.

In the three years it's been running, Lucas County Juvenile Court has been
able to reunite 18 of 72 participants with their kids. Court officials hope
a $1.2 million federal grant announced yesterday will help increase those
numbers.

Judge James Ray of Juvenile Court said the grant should increase the
capacity of the program to 60 families, a 50 percent increase.

The judge said the extra money could help parents with substance-abuse
problems make the transition to sobriety. The battle with alcohol or drugs
is just the first of many changes that parents have to make, he said.

"Children who are raised by parents who are abusing alcohol and drugs learn
how to adapt and manipulate their parents," Judge Ray said. "The minute the
parents get sober, the kids don't know how to manipulate them any more and
start acting out."

The court plans to use the money - $400,000 annually for three years - for
additional programming such as literacy training, educational and
vocational assessments, and post-treatment support groups.

Judge Ray said the money won't be used for additional personnel costs.

The grant, which comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services, doesn't require any matching money from Lucas County.

"The fact of the matter is these are federal dollars and it certainly
couldn 't come at a better time," said Sandy Isenberg, president of the
county commissioners.

She said the money will help keep together families that were on the verge
of breaking up.

Commissioner Harry Barlos also applauded the program, saying it's hard
enough to be a good parent without drugs and alcohol thrown into the mix.

"The need is there," he said. "We'll always see parents with alcohol and
drug addictions and it's the children who pay the price."