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5 episodes with Drug court
2 episodes with Drug court
4 episodes with Drug court
3 episodes with Drug court
3 episodes with Drug court
2 episodes with Drug court
2 episodes with Drug court
2 episodes with Drug court
4 episodes with Drug court
Today, John discusses the SCOTUS ruling on mass federal layoffs, on going ICE raids, and raising rates of anti-ICE violence. John also welcomes the DA of Yolo County, Jeff Reisig, in the studio to talk about Drug Court and Prop 36.
This Day in Maine for Monday, July 7, 2025.
Telly Roberts knows addiction from the inside out. She once lived it—now she's helping others escape it. In this episode, Telly shares how she got pulled into a life of drug use and dealing, what finally broke the cycle, and how she's turned her pain into purpose. As a Peer Recovery Specialist, Telly now supports 15–20 individuals in Drug Court, helping them navigate the path to sobriety and stability. Her story is raw, honest, and full of hope. If you or someone you love is struggling with addiction, don't wait. Call Telly at 870-351-5184. Help is real. Recovery is possible.
Richland County’s Drug Court is seeing its highest success rate ever, with 91% of participants completing the program. We look at how this once-controversial approach to addiction has become a local success story, thanks to decades of work by judges, treatment staff, and probation officers. Richland County Drug Court seeing a rise in participant success rate Grand jury: Columbus man faces life sentence for alleged rape of minor 34th class of law enforcement officers trained in crisis intervention to graduate Obituary: Dustin Yockey Opening date set for new Mickey’s Dunkin’ Donuts in Shelby Support the show: https://richlandsource.com/membersSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Former Richland County Judge James Henson, the county’s longest-serving judge, has died at 83. In this episode, we look back on his decades of service, his role in launching the county’s Drug Court, and the legacy he leaves behind in the courtroom and beyond.Support the show: https://richlandsource.com/membersSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On today's edition of On Location, Tim Lightner (eWorld Enterprise Solutions, Inc.) welcomes Pamela Pipkin (Director of the Monroe County, Wisconsin Child Support program). Learn how Pam got her start with the child support program, hear about some of her accomplishments and about the Monroe County, Wisconsin Child Support Program. Pam joins On Location today to talk about a subject, and an article that she wrote in the January 2025 NCSEA CSQ newsletter, titled “Intersecting Drug Court Participation and Child Support Obligations: A Journey Through Monroe County, Wisconsin”. You will get to hear Pam discuss the journey between drug court and child support – to positively support families navigating substance use disorders and treatment court obligations, and who also have child support obligations.If you would like to talk further with Pam, please feel free to reach out to her at Pamela.Pipkin@co.monroe.wi.us. If you are an NCSEA member, please check out her article on this topic in the January 2025 NCSEA CSQ newsletter.
PODCAST: LAS NOTICIAS CON CALLE DE 7 DE ABRIL DE 2025 - Sujeto asesina a su ex estrangulándola en Adjuntas, tenía 7 hijos - Policía Destruido el mercado de valores tras Trump decir que cojan medicina cuando se le preguntó si quitaría tarifas - Fox News 68% de las mujeres víctimas de violencia doméstica dicen que han sido víctimas de un intento de estrangulación - El Nuevo Día FEMA corta más fondos de mitigación de daños, en PR ni sabemos cuántos son los que nos impacta - El Nuevo Día Se disparan compras de soya, carros, ropa deportiva, TV, soya, electrónicos, tras tarifas de Trump - WSJAlcalde de San Juan recibe mega regaño del Supremo - Noticel Presidente de Israel visita hoy a Trump en Casa Blanca - Bloomberg Bad Bunny hoy en el Tiny Desk de NPR Music A confirmación hoy secretaria de Estado y presidentes de la CEE - El Nuevo D´ia Francisco Domenech obliga a que cabilderos no puedan ser contratistas a la vez - El Nuevo Día Gobernadora separó oficinas comunitaria y base de fe en dos distintas en Fortaleza - El Vocero Secretario de la gobernación dice que han reducido contratos en 10 millones - El Vocero Vienen de Trinidad y Tobago a PR para hacer negocios, nos venden mucho más de lo que vendemos - El Nuevo Día Medida para obligar a pagar CRIM o pierdes la casa - El Nuevo Día Empresa vinculada a corrupción en caso de Héctor Joaquín Sánchez no podrá contratar con el gobierno - El Nuevo Día Aprobarán hoy medida de reforma contributiva que presentaron el viernes sin autorización de la Junta de Control Fiscal - El Nuevo Día400 querellas de secuestros en PR - Primera Hora Padre tiene que arrestar a violador de su hija tras la ciudadanía ayudarlo a conseguir donde estaba el sujeto - Primera Hora Otro niño muere por sarampión, no estaba vacunado - USA Today Salud federal corta fondos de vacunación - Axios Trump dijo que no va cubrir medicamentos para rebajar con fondos Medicaid, Medicare - Axios - Gobierno va a poner GPS a los carros para mejorar uso de flota Gobernadora quiere uniformar fianzas en delitos ¿(es constitucional)? - El Nuevo Día Drug Court, una historia de éxito en los tribunales - El Nuevo Día Desastroso dejar que los niños estén tanto tiempo en redes - El Nuevo Día Trump ha sacado a científicos investigadores con sus políticas anti inmigrantes, otros países buscan aprovecharse - FT6 asesinatos en el weekend - WUNOPadre e hijo acusados de asesinar gallero en Jayuya - PolicíaHOY SE ORDENA DE MARTINS BBQ LA BOLSITA DE SABORDONDE SIRVEN AHORA EL POLLO ASADO. HOY PUEDES ORDENAR EL MEJOR Y MAS SABROSO POLLO ASADO SERVIDO EN LA CLASICA BOLSITA DE LA RECETA ORIGINAL PARA MAS FRESCURA Y SABOR. ¡AHORA LLEGA A CASA EL POLLO CALIENTITO Y JUGOSITO! ¡LLEVATE TU POLLO DE MARTINS EN LA BOLSITA DEL SABOR!MMM...HOY VOY PA MARTINSBBQ...ASADO, JUGOSO, SABROSOIncluye auspicio
In this episode of Justice Speaks, we continue our series with State Drug Court Coordinators through an interview with Ms. Kaylee Dickenson, the State Drug Court Coordinator for West Virginia. This episode is sponsored by Reconnect. Ms. Dickenson begins by detailing her early career in corrections at the Southern Regional Jail and Beckley Correction Center, experiences that laid the foundation for her transition into probation—a role that first introduced her to Treatment Courts. In her capacity as a probation officer, she engaged with treatment-focused justice by attending the State Drug Court Conference and managing adult Drug Courts in Greenbrier and Pocahontas counties. Her accomplishments in these counties and her commitment to therapeutic justice led to her promotion as a Treatment Court evaluator, where she oversaw evaluations for Family Treatment Courts and then to State Drug Court Coordinator. In her role, Ms. Dickenson ensures that Treatment Courts across all 55 West Virginia counties adhere to best practice standards, providing tailored feedback and guidance to enhance each court's impact on participants and the broader community. A key theme in her discussion is the systematic approach to treatment court coordination in West Virginia. Ms. Dickenson elaborates on her role in organizing the State Treatment Court Conference, a biennial event funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance that delivers essential training and resources to judges and probation officers statewide. This conference, which is free for attendees, serves as a platform for knowledge sharing on emerging best practices and evidence-based approaches. Working closely with an educational committee, Ms. Dickenson is involved in all aspects of conference planning, ensuring that treatment courts remain informed about the latest advancements in supporting participants.
Jay Alexander's young life was anything but stable. Always on the move, he struggled to find a place in the world. While stumbling through high school, an assistant principal identified his difficulties and brought him and gave him the assignment of helping other students who struggled to learn math and English. Little did he know that would reappear later in life has he worked as a recovering addict in the First Steps rehabilitation facility in Salt Lake City. Throughout his life, Jay had people who, in spite of being in his own way, believed in him giving him hope for recovery. Listen in as Jay tells his compelling story. Sponsors & Partners The Other Side Academy (TOSA) - theothersideacademy.com My Story Matters / Captain Your Story - mystorymatters.org 00:00 - Jay Alexander 01:28 - The Other Side Academy 01:43 - My Story Matters / Captain Your Story 02:20 - Jay's Upbringing 09:45 - Grandmother Dies 17:15 - Moment of Intense Desperation 22:15 - Getting Shot 30:00 - Details on his Arrests 35:00 - Relapsing in Drug Court & Getting in a Car Accident 39:40 - Things are Looking Up 45:20 - Final Piece of Advice
King County's Drug Diversion Court is celebrating its 30th anniversary. It was one of the first programs in the nation to help people clear their criminal records, if they enter treatment and stop using drugs. But amidst the opioid epidemic, drug court enrollment has shrunk in recent years. KUOW's Amy Radil tells us how King County is hoping to change that. We want to year from YOU! Fill out Seattle Now's annual survey to help us make the show better, and weigh in on what we should cover. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. You have the power! Make the show happen by making a gift to KUOW.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Olmsted County Sheriff Kevin Torgerson talks about the many successes, as well as some failures, of the county's drug court program. He also provides an update on the Southeastern Minnesota Law Enforcement Memorial, and a reminder to be especially vigilant in watching out for children now that school is back in session.
Clark County Superior Court Adult Drug Court will celebrate its 25th anniversary on September 25th with a special event at Clark College's Gaiser Hall. The event, which is free and open to the public, will include a buffet dinner and presentation. Read the full story at https://www.clarkcountytoday.com/news/superior-court-adult-drug-court-recognizes-25-year-anniversary-with-tribute-celebration/ on www.ClarkCountyToday.com. #AdultDrugCourt #NationalRecoveryMonth #ClarkCollege #SubstanceUseTreatment #VancouverWa #ClarkCountyWa #WashingtonState #LocalNews
This week we revisit our 2022 conversation with Rob Hulls AM, former Deputy Premier and attorney-general of Victorian, and current director of the Centre for Innovative Justice at RMIT. As attorney-general, Rob introduced many significant and lasting changes to our Justice System, including the introduction of the Koori Court, Drug Court and Australia's first Neighbourhood Justice Centre. Through all the ups and downs of a career in the law and politics, Rob has been guided by a simple philosophy; that the justice system can be a positive intervention in peoples' lives. www.greenslist.com.au/podcast
AIDS Alabama South will be at the Drug Court office this Friday, Aug. 23, from 9 a.m. until around 2 p.m. offering free testing to anyone in the community. Please come out and show your support while getting free testing and resources. Veterans helping veterans— To all veterans with a disability rate of 90% or less. There is help for you. Aaron Roper, retired 1st sereant of the United States Army is assisting eligible veterans sign up for disability benefits. Mr. Roper will be in Jackson, Ala. at the Jackson City Hall on September 14 at 10 a.m. Come out...Article Link
In the 9th episode of Plugged In La Porte, host Nate Loucks sits down with Honorable Judge Greta Friedman and Sergeant Adam Hannon of La Porte County Drug Court to inform our listeners of the process and criteria for the program and how it has been making a difference in our community since 2012.Additionally, City of La Porte Park & Recreation Superintendent Mark Schreiber recaps LakeFest and discusses the importance of quality of life in La Porte.
Drug and alcohol addiction disrupts lives and families and most often those who suffer are treated with disdain of lock up and throw away the key mindset. Judge Al Alonso of San Antonio known as “The Father of Drug Court” and his assistant Zachary Hinson visit with me about the notoriously humane and successful court system the honorable judge developed in his life long quest to stop the demonization of addiction and raise awareness of how many lives can be saved. This is an amazing legacy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
An incredible story of turning your life around from meth addict who spent all his 20s in prison, to being clean for 3 years with a fantastic career alongside his partner and child. James Sturch's story is just sensational, and it's all down to the Drug Court, he says. Should we have more Drug Court's in this country? And how do they work?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
On the show today: An incredible story of turning your life around from meth addict who spent all his 20s in prison, to being clean for 3 years with a fantastic career alongside his partner and child. James Sturch's story is just sensational, and it's all down to the Drug Court, he says. Should we have more Drug Court's in this country? And how do they work? Adrian Orr and his waka that seems to be rowing backwards. BUT thankfully, apparently this recession is about to end. HALLELUJAH! Part time workers, and why they should be just as valued as full timers. Emma Mclean joins us, along side part time power worker May Lee Starrveld. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
ttps://www.bareknucklerecovery.com/episode-18-drug-court/ Tommy and Nate welcome BKR team member, Zach, back to the show along with longtime friend of the show, Dick Boggess.Now working together in the community to help those battling addiction, Zach & Dick's history together started inside of drug court under very different circumstances.Remember, you can watch all of our episodes on YouTube, catch the audio version on your favorite podcast platform, and - if you're in Indiana - you can now find us on TV as well!https://bareknucklerecovery.com
In this episode, Meagan sits down with Maesa who shares her powerful story of struggling with addiction, her experiences in RPF, and her journey through drug court. She reflects on the importance of finding the root cause of her addiction and how it has impacted her life.Topics Covered:Personal struggles with addictionExperiences in RPFDrug court and the legal systemFinding the root cause of addictionPersonal growth and transformation
Episode 2, with Chief Judge of the 31st Judicial District in Kansas, Honorable Daniel D. Creitz, and Director of Community Corrections & Kansas Department of Corrections Juvenile Services, Troy Smith If you've ever wondered what works better than punishment to reduce criminal activity, you will want to listen to this episode! Our guests, Chief Judge of the 31st Judicial District in Kansas, the Honorable Daniel D. Creitz, and Director of Community Corrections and Kansas Department of Corrections Juvenile Services, Troy Smith, share their work supporting persons with substance use disorders as they experience recovery, rekindle hope, and take their lives back. You'll be inspired as they discuss what works, what doesn't, what it takes to stay well yourself when working in a field with this much trauma exposure, and why it's so important to continually celebrate successes, both large and small.
Former magistrate of the Drug Court, Tony Parsons, has revealed he's against the electronic monitoring devices.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
A former addict who spent years in jail says prison rehab programs don't work, and investing in more alcohol and drug treatment courts would help cut crime. The specialist courts aim to treat the causes of offending and provides an alternative to jail. They were launched as a pilot program in 2012, initially in Auckland and Waitakere and expanded to Hamilton in 2021. Despite two thirds of prisoners having drug and alchol problems, no further courts have been established. Rayssa Almeida has the story.
Episode 91: Court DescriptionsGuest: Emily Coddington and Jack ForsheeThis is the 8th week of the 2024 spring semester at Heartland Community College and Bingham's students are studying the courts. Bingham, Emily, and Jack discuss the following: Their career goalsWhy they enrolled in the courseWhat high school they attendedTheir favorite due process constitutional rightDescription of the Supreme CourtDescription of a State CourtThe goal of Drug Court4th Amendment5th Amendment2nd AmendmentBlack Lives MatterWhite SupremacyShould marijuana be legalized at the federal levelWhat they'd like to see the Biden Administration accomplish You can listen to the JFA Podcast Show wherever you get your podcast or by clicking on one of the links below.https://dlbspodcast.buzzsprout.com https://blog.feedspot.com/social_justice_podcasts/ https://peculiarbooks.org Also if you are interested in exercise and being healthy check out the Top 20 Triathlon Podcasts.https://blog.feedspot.com/triathlon_podcasts/
Here at the #LovinLebanon Podcast, we strive to inform, and the topic this time around does just that. A new program, helping residents of Lebanon and Boone County kick the habit, is making great strides. It's called Drug Court, and Ashley McClure and Katie DeVries stop by to share how this effort got started and how it's going on Episode 153 of the #LovinLebanon Podcast. Community Corrections Mission Statement Boone County Community Corrections mission is to increase public safety by providing a cost-effective community-based alternative to incarceration by utilizing effective evaluation to determine an appropriate level of evidence-based intensive programming for adult and juvenile clients to motivate the client towards positive citizenship. Office: 765-482-2484 Website: https://boonecounty.in.gov/offices/community-corrections/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BooneCountyCorrections/
Episode 83: Electronic Monitoring and Drug CourtGuest: Courtney Lindsey and Caroline CarrThis is the 13th week of the 2023 fall semester at HCC and Bingham's class is studying the topic Corrections in the community. Today's guests, Courtney Lindsey and Caroline Carr discuss the goals of Electronic Monitoring and Drug Court. Included in this episode is Courtney and Caroline's: Anticipated career pathWhy they're taking the courseWhat high school they attendedTheir favorite constitutional rightElectronic Monitoring DefinedDrug Court DefinedThe goal of drug courtThe goal of electronic monitoringWhich is more rehabilitative What makes it a community corrections toolShould a felon be allowed to voteShould a felon be allowed to be presidentBlack Lives MatterWhite SupremacyShould marijuana be legalized at the federal levelWhat he'd like to see the Biden administration accomplish You can listen to the JFA Podcast Show wherever you get your podcast or by clicking on one of the links below.https://dlbspodcast.buzzsprout.com https://blog.feedspot.com/social_justice_podcasts/ https://peculiarbooks.org Also if you are interested in exercise and being healthy check out the Top 20 Triathlon Podcasts.https://blog.feedspot.com/triathlon_podcasts/
Thinking back on it today, X Games champion Alex Schlopy still shakes his head. A homegrown product of Park City, Utah, in a month-long span in 2011 he won an X Games title in Aspen, became a world champion on his home hill at Park City Mountain and soared to Dew Tour gold in Snowbasin. In a roller coaster decade that saw the highest of highs and lowest of lows, today Schlopy is the happiest he's ever been – an athlete ambassador for Ski Utah and looking forward to his first runs off Jupiter in the season ahead.Schlopy was born to athletic parents. His mother, Holly Flanders, was a U.S. Ski Team downhill star. His father, Todd Schlopy, played in the National Football League. His uncle, Erik Schlopy, was a Hall of Fame U.S. Alpine Ski Team star.In the mid to late ‘00s, Utah was the epicenter of the burgeoning new sport of freeskiing. Schlopy caught the buzz from his buddy Joss Christensen. They idolized stars like Tanner Hall and Simon Dumont. At just 17, Schlopy went to the Dumont Cup in Maine, outlasting over 100 amateurs just like him who wanted a shot into the event. He got it, launching a switch right double cork 1440, and soon found himself on the podium with his buddy Joss and future legend Tom Wallisch.The next season he cranked out win after win and found himself on top of the world in a new sport that was to make its Olympic debut in 2014. Then it all came crashing down.This interview is deep and emotional, coming full circle to the joy of skiing. Here's a teaser:You're still having fun skiing?Oh, yeah. More fun than ever.Going back to your youth, what role did gymnastics play in your skiing success?Gymnastics has helped me throughout my whole entire life. And I think for any kid out there, having a baseline in gymnastics is huge. Just knowing how to use your body, learning how to flip and do all those things safely.What triggered your interest in freeskiing?When I transitioned into middle school, I met Joss Christensen and we started hanging out just as friends. He started showing me all these freeski movies with, you know, Tanner Hall, Jon Olsson, Simon Dumont. And I was like, what is this? I saw ski racing. I've seen moguls and aerials and I loved all that stuff, but this was the one that really clicked. It was artistic expression on skis. And I thought that was really cool.What role does Park City, Utah play in winter sport?I mean, this is the Mecca for that in my eyes. There's just so many kids out here learning how to do whatever winter sport they want and then having the facilities and the programs to push it as far as they want. And it's just a beautiful community.After the stunning 2011 season, what path did your career take?After winning those three events, X Games, World Championships, Dew Tour and then kind of stepping into that pro realm, big contracts started to come up and I kind of lost my drive to win. And I think that was my biggest problem. I hadn't really built the best work ethic. I had used a lot of natural talent my whole life, you know, and having overcome some of those injuries that really helped out. I didn't have to work as hard to get back, but it came to bite me after I did win, because I started to coast and I started partaking more in the party side of the sport. I was still doing okay. You know, I was able to stay top five, top ten, but I wasn't winning. And what it took for me to refocus was the announcement that the sport that we were getting into the Olympics for Sochi and I had a lot of ground to make up.In 2014, you missed that last spot on the Olympic team to your buddy Joss Christensen, who went on to win gold. It was a really beautiful yet bittersweet experience because Joss is one of the best people I've ever met in my life. He's incredible. I thought he was the best skier. He just couldn't put it down when it counted until that point. And he went and did it. So it was really cool. But behind the scenes, I was starting to struggle after that and watching him in the Olympics and my friends – it was like all that work I had just put in and I'd really changed my life quite a bit to make that happen and get that close. It shut off pretty quick and I started falling.You're a few years past rehab and drug court. How did it help you get your life back?It's life changing.They always say, you know, addiction is like a broken brain and that means a broken person. So, how do you rebuild that? I mean, it's like your best chance because you can't rebuild everything in a short period of time. So there's something really beautiful about the recovery process.What's the sickest ski run that you've ever taken in Utah? Tiger Tail at Snowbird – lapping that last winter. It was endless smiles and joy.There's plenty more from Ski Utah athlete ambassador Alex Schlopy! Buckle up for this episode of Last Chair as he takes us through the highs and lows of his career, finding sobriety and the sheer joy he feels today when he's up on the mountain all for himself.
Thinking back on it today, X Games champion Alex Schlopy still shakes his head. A homegrown product of Park City, Utah, in a month-long span in 2011 he won an X Games title in Aspen, became a world champion on his home hill at Park City Mountain and soared to Dew Tour gold in Snowbasin. In a roller coaster decade that saw the highest of highs and lowest of lows, today Schlopy is the happiest he's ever been – an athlete ambassador for Ski Utah and looking forward to his first runs off Jupiter in the season ahead.Schlopy was born to athletic parents. His mother, Holly Flanders, was a U.S. Ski Team downhill star. His father, Todd Schlopy, played in the National Football League. His uncle, Erik Schlopy, was a Hall of Fame U.S. Alpine Ski Team star.In the mid to late ‘00s, Utah was the epicenter of the burgeoning new sport of freeskiing. Schlopy caught the buzz from his buddy Joss Christensen. They idolized stars like Tanner Hall and Simon Dumont. At just 17, Schlopy went to the Dumont Cup in Maine, outlasting over 100 amateurs just like him who wanted a shot into the event. He got it, launching a switch right double cork 1440, and soon found himself on the podium with his buddy Joss and future legend Tom Wallisch.The next season he cranked out win after win and found himself on top of the world in a new sport that was to make its Olympic debut in 2014. Then it all came crashing down.This interview is deep and emotional, coming full circle to the joy of skiing. Here's a teaser:You're still having fun skiing?Oh, yeah. More fun than ever.Going back to your youth, what role did gymnastics play in your skiing success?Gymnastics has helped me throughout my whole entire life. And I think for any kid out there, having a baseline in gymnastics is huge. Just knowing how to use your body, learning how to flip and do all those things safely.What triggered your interest in freeskiing?When I transitioned into middle school, I met Joss Christensen and we started hanging out just as friends. He started showing me all these freeski movies with, you know, Tanner Hall, Jon Olsson, Simon Dumont. And I was like, what is this? I saw ski racing. I've seen moguls and aerials and I loved all that stuff, but this was the one that really clicked. It was artistic expression on skis. And I thought that was really cool.What role does Park City, Utah play in winter sport?I mean, this is the Mecca for that in my eyes. There's just so many kids out here learning how to do whatever winter sport they want and then having the facilities and the programs to push it as far as they want. And it's just a beautiful community.After the stunning 2011 season, what path did your career take?After winning those three events, X Games, World Championships, Dew Tour and then kind of stepping into that pro realm, big contracts started to come up and I kind of lost my drive to win. And I think that was my biggest problem. I hadn't really built the best work ethic. I had used a lot of natural talent my whole life, you know, and having overcome some of those injuries that really helped out. I didn't have to work as hard to get back, but it came to bite me after I did win, because I started to coast and I started partaking more in the party side of the sport. I was still doing okay. You know, I was able to stay top five, top ten, but I wasn't winning. And what it took for me to refocus was the announcement that the sport that we were getting into the Olympics for Sochi and I had a lot of ground to make up.In 2014, you missed that last spot on the Olympic team to your buddy Joss Christensen, who went on to win gold. It was a really beautiful yet bittersweet experience because Joss is one of the best people I've ever met in my life. He's incredible. I thought he was the best skier. He just couldn't put it down when it counted until that point. And he went and did it. So it was really cool. But behind the scenes, I was starting to struggle after that and watching him in the Olympics and my friends – it was like all that work I had just put in and I'd really changed my life quite a bit to make that happen and get that close. It shut off pretty quick and I started falling.You're a few years past rehab and drug court. How did it help you get your life back?It's life changing.They always say, you know, addiction is like a broken brain and that means a broken person. So, how do you rebuild that? I mean, it's like your best chance because you can't rebuild everything in a short period of time. So there's something really beautiful about the recovery process.What's the sickest ski run that you've ever taken in Utah? Tiger Tail at Snowbird – lapping that last winter. It was endless smiles and joy.There's plenty more from Ski Utah athlete ambassador Alex Schlopy! Buckle up for this episode of Last Chair as he takes us through the highs and lows of his career, finding sobriety and the sheer joy he feels today when he's up on the mountain all for himself.
#marycole #ericrinehart #lakecountyillinois #safety #ricklesser #petejansons #statesattorney #lakeforestillinois #lakeforestpodcast #mentalhealth #addiction #arrested Main Clip: https://youtu.be/eT_lvvNZpoc Mary Cole is running for States Attorney of Lake County Illinois and she stopped by the Lake Forest Illinois Podcast to talk to Joe Weiss, Rick Lesser and Pete Jansons to talk about her campaign. In this shorter clip Mary Cole explains how The Therapeutic Intensive Monitoring (TIM) Unit of Lake County Illinois tries to help people arrested that have mental health issues. https://19thcircuitcourt.state.il.us/1167/Therapeutic-Intensive-Monitoring-TIM-Uni In July 2005 the Nineteenth Judicial Circuit established the Drug Court component of the Therapeutic Intensive Monitoring (TIM) Court. In January 2007 Mental Health Court was started and in 2011 the Veterans Treatment and Assistance Court was established for veterans. The mission of the TIM program is to reduce crime, enhance public safety and reduce jail populations by providing a comprehensive treatment and supervision plan. Each component of TIM Court has an established multidisciplinary team consisting of treatment professionals, probation officials, judges, assistant state's attorneys and assistant public defenders.The Adult Probation's TIM Unit supervises all clients of Drug Court, Mental Health Court and Veteran's Treatment and Assistance Court (VTAC). Each Court is assigned a Probation Officer that acts as the TIM Court Coordinator. The TIM Court Coordinator prepares weekly agendas and chairs Mental Health Court, Drug Court and VTAC staffing meetings. Staffing meetings include members from multidisciplinary teams that support each court. Members of the Probation Field Supervision Unit augment supervision in the community to all three courts. The TIM Court Program has received supplemental funding though two SAMHSA grants, one BJA grant, and annual Adult Redeploy grants. Each grant involves significant administrative duties which are managed by Adult Probation staff. https://www.maryforlakecounty.com/ https://www.maryforlakecounty.com/donation_front_page --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/lakeforestpodcast/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/lakeforestpodcast/support
Today on Sense of Soul Podcast we have, Author & Advocate Marlon Bacote. After three decades of battling addiction, he hit rock bottom and searched for recovery and wellness. He spent a combined total of 23 years in jail and prison for petty larceny charges to support his habit. With co-occurring disorders ranging from depression, PTSD, bipolar, and Substance Use Disorder, he felt he had no way out of a meaningless life. Hopeless, suicidal, and lacking self-esteem, he entered the Drug Court Program, and everything changed. While in Drug Court, he earned two college degrees, held a steady job at the regional hospital, and began a career as a mental health professional to include becoming a VA Board Certified Peer Recovery Specialist. He joined us today to share his first book, “Lighting the Way: Hidden Treasures.” Which highlights the importance of peer support in the treatment of mental health and promotes self-love in the hidden treasures we all possess. Get his book: https://www.amazon.com/Lighting-Way-Treasures-Marlon-BaCote/dp/B09PK6JC6D/ref=nodl_?dplnkId=29a573e5-8176-42e9-9682-fffc9c56fbd4 Follow his journey on social media: https://instagram.com/bacotemarlon?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== https://www.tiktok.com/@marlonbacote623?_t=8edDlE1nrYM&_r=1 https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100055507114504&mibextid=LQQJ4d Learn more about his journey: https://www.wavy.com/opioid-addiction/portsmouth-health-department-hosts-opioid-anti-stigma-training/amp/ https://www.wtkr.com/2017/06/08/after-years-of-battling-his-own-addiction-newport-news-native-saves-man-who-overdosed-in-car https://www.liberty.edu/journal/article/the-opioid-epidemic-responding-to-a-crisis-that-is-gripping-our-nation/ https://www.amazon.com/Lighting-Way-Treasures-Marlon-BaCote/dp/B09PK6JC6D
"What an opportunity for me to help somebody get their kids back, to repair relationships, to get a job, … so many benefits…" That's how Mike Shears, Whiteside County Drug Court probation officer, describes his job. In part II of our conversation, Mike talks about the successes, failures, and new areas of growth in the drug court program and Boomer describes what he observed in his two hour visit in drug court. Alternative/specialized courts are effectively improving how local judicial systems handle people who are likely to be repeat prisoners. AND COOL NEW THEME MUSIC FOR THE PODCAST!! YAY YAY YAY.
News Radio KKOB's TJ Trout meets with Dr. Barry Ramo as they discuss skin cancer, tanning beds, exposure to the sun, sunscreen, and carpal tunnel syndrome. News Radio KKOB's Terri Travis delves deep into the state of New Mexico's first summit for a unique set of graduates. Her guest, Carlos Gonzales, is the Program Manager for Peer Support and a licensed drug abuse counselor for the state's Drug Court.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
"No one ever wakes up and says, 'You know, I think I want to be a drug addict,' " says Mike Shears, drug court officer. That's part of the mind frame that shapes the drug court in Whiteside County, IL. If you think that drug court, a specialized diversionary court program, is a dark place full of dreary proceedings that involve the dregs of society, you're wrong. It's a place that regularly celebrates the successes of alcohol and drug addicted felons. It's a place that transforms lives, mends relationships, and stops the revolving door of recividism- the act of felons being jailed and freed, only to repeat the same crimes as before. Need some good news? It's right here.
Richland County Drug Court provides an alternative to incarceration: https://www.richlandsource.com/solutions/richland-county-drug-court-provides-an-alternative-to-incarceration/article_66f65f70-f101-11ed-a54e-13b4510f6d7c.html Today — A local woman's journey from being a drug user to a beacon of hope.Support the show: https://www.sourcemembers.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Today was graduation day at the Chelsea Drug Court, and it was done in-person for the first time since the start of the pandemic. WBZ's Carl Stevens has the story.
Candid conversations about current topics with court and community leaders.
Podcast Drug Court and the 5 Rules of Recovery with Carl Mack About the Episode Date: April 12,, 2023 Episode 20: Drug Court and the 5 Rules of Recovery with Carl Mack Summary Have a listen to our latest episode with Carl Mack, R-PRS, FPRS who works in Lynchburg, Virginia for the Virginia Health Department and Drug Court as well. In this episode, we discuss the nexus between his work at the Health Department and Drug Court through the lens of an evidence-based recovery philosophy called the 5 Rules of Recovery that he shares with the peers he is supporting in Region 4. Carl Mack is a Registered Peer Recovery Specialist. He is also a Forensic Peer Recovery Specialist. In addition, Carl is a veteran of the United States Army.
Join us this week for a somewhat satirical look at a serious and successful program for getting people with substance use disorders the help they need and keeping them out of jail. Turning Point is part of Four Rivers Behavioral Health's comprehensive substance use disorder treatment services and was established to provide easy access to those in recovery with a focus on those who are just learning to live a sober life. Turning Point is unique in that the program is designed around the concept of Peer Support. Staff at Turning Point have personal experience with substance use disorders and can offer guidance and support from a “been there, done that” perspective. You can learn more about Peer Support at https://4rbh.org/behavioral-health-co... #KORE #CrossTalkRecovery #TurningPoint #recoveroutloud https://4rbhaddictiontreatment.org/tu... https://fourriversbh.podbean.com
March 31, 2023 - Times Union Capitol reporter Josh Solomon explains how drug courts are an important diversion program in the criminal justice system, but they've seen a sharp decline in utilization since New York reformed it's pre-trial bail and discovery laws.
In this episode, I talked about my journey to get my Masters at Assumption University in why I do not see children or family at this time despite my specialty. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is briefly discuss and how it has impacted me since age 16. I also talked about my internship and the realization I made there. I also go in-depth in regards to my journey in the community justice system and how it has been a great and challenging situation. From the jail, to diversion, to parole, to courts, I have been in most law enforcement fields here in Massachusetts. I briefly discussed my journey to Vermont.YouTube ChannelCoaching And Website
Host, Dr. David Nelson and Author, Dr. Rashi Shukla discuss the success of Drug Courts in Oklahoma County and the fentanyl crisis with Honorable Judge Ken Stoner.
On today's midweek show, Crystal welcomes Senator Manka Dhingra, Chair of the Senate Law & Justice Committee, to preview the tough issues her committee will take on in the upcoming legislative session. Senator Dhingra walks through her data-driven and community-informed approach to legislating and how this lens guides her thinking on revisiting the Blake decision fix, a temporary solution put in place by the Legislature in 2021 when the Washington Supreme Court struck down the state's drug possession law as unconstitutional. Despite widespread recognition of the need for a public health approach to substance use disorder, Crystal and Senator Dhingra lament the unfortunate political truth that the public is often ahead of elected officials and that the Blake fix will likely not be based on best practices. The two then discuss the pushback from some in law enforcement interests in response to bills that restricted their use of high-speed vehicle pursuits and sought to hold officers liable for taking wrong actions. Senator Dhingra stands by these policies that solve the issues of unnecessary bystander deaths and community demands for reduction in police violence. Finally, the show wraps up with what a trauma-informed criminal justice system could look like, where implementation of the 988 crisis system is, and Senator Dhingra's delightful tradition of introducing legislation from teenagers in her district. As always, a full text transcript of the show is available below and at officialhacksandwonks.com. Follow us on Twitter at @HacksWonks. Find the host, Crystal Fincher, on Twitter at @finchfrii and find Senator Manka Dhingra at @Dhingrama. Senator Manka Dhingra Manka Dhingra is Deputy Majority Leader of the Washington State Senate. She brings two decades of experience as a prosecutor to her role as Chair of the Senate Law & Justice Committee. She also serves on the Senate Health & Long Term Care Committee and Senate Ways & Means Committee. In November 2017, Dhingra was elected to the Senate by the constituents of the 45th Legislative District, the first Sikh legislator in the nation. Since then, she has sponsored and passed legislation addressing a wide range of issue areas, including: curbing domestic violence and sexual assault, preventing firearm violence, providing property tax relief for seniors and people with disabilities, prosecuting financial fraud, and reforming the criminal justice system with an evidence-based approach. During her time in the Senate, Dhingra has helped pass legislation and funding to transform the Washington State behavioral health system, reorienting it around prevention rather than crisis response. She continues to strive to ensure that Washingtonians with behavioral health needs get the treatment they need and deserve. As a member of the Special Committee on Economic Recovery, she is helping the state craft an economic plan to lead an equitable recovery from the COVID economic downturn. She also serves on several task forces dedicated to reducing poverty, reforming the criminal justice system, improving equity in state government, and providing a sound and fair fiscal footing for the state. Dhingra continues to serve as a Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney with the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office. As Chair of the Therapeutic Alternative Unit, Manka helped develop and oversee the Regional Mental Health Court, the Veterans Court, and the Community Assessment and Referral for Diversion program. As a mental health and crisis intervention expert, she has also been an instructor at the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission for the 40-hour Crisis Intervention Training for law enforcement officers to reduce the risk of tragedy and improve the response to people in crisis. Outside the courtroom, Dhingra is a community leader and anti-domestic violence advocate on the Eastside. She co-founded Chaya, an organization that assists South Asian survivors of domestic violence and led the organization's work to end systemic violence through education and prevention. She also serves on the board of Hopelink. Resources Senator Manka Dhingra | Washington Senate Democrats “With Dhingra's Win, Democrats Take Control of the State Senate” by Hayat Norimine from SeattleMet Q & A: The Blake Decision | ACLU of Washington “In Last-Minute Move, Legislature Adopts New Approach to Drug Possession” by Paul Kiefer from PubliCola “WA lawmakers try to thread needle on drug possession, to mixed reviews” by David Kroman from Crosscut “Washington Voters Want to Decriminalize Drug Possession and Fund Substance Abuse Resources” by Anika Dandekar with Data For Progress State v. Blake: ESB 5476 and behavioral health expansion | Washington Health Care Authority “Not all crimes merit high-speed chases that risk bystanders' lives” by Manka Dhingra in The Seattle Times “Pursuits and Fatalities in WA since 2015” by Martina Morris from Next Steps Washington and Washington Coalition for Police Accountability 2021-2022 Washington State Legislature Policing Bills Explainer | People Power Washington “State leaders prepare for implementation of the 988 call line” by Shane Ersland from State of Reform “Meet the students who fought for free menstrual products at Washington schools — and won” by Sara Gentzler from The Olympian Transcript [00:00:00] Crystal Fincher: Welcome to Hacks & Wonks. I'm Crystal Fincher, and I'm a political consultant and your host. On this show, we talk with policy wonks and political hacks to gather insight into local politics and policy in Washington State through the lens of those doing the work with behind-the-scenes perspectives on what's happening, why it's happening, and what you can do about it. Full transcripts and resources referenced in the show are always available at officialhacksandwonks.com and in our episode notes. So today I'm absolutely thrilled to have joining us the Deputy Majority Leader of the Washington State Senate, Manka Dhingra. Welcome. [00:00:47] Senator Manka Dhingra: Thank you so much. It is such a pleasure to be here with you. [00:00:50] Crystal Fincher: Absolutely a pleasure to have you - have followed your work and admired your work for quite some time. So you are also the Chair of the Senate Law & Justice Committee, you've done a lot of work. I just wanted to start off with - what was your path to the State Senate and what have you been working on? [00:01:11] Senator Manka Dhingra: So I'll just say my path to the State Senate has been extremely unusual. I don't know anyone else who came into politics the way I did. I, as a young person, knew very early that I wanted to go to law school and that I wanted to be a prosecutor. I got involved in gender-based violence early on because my grandmother used to help survivors of domestic violence back in India. And so I went to law school, became a prosecutor with King County. I actually created and ran the first ever Therapeutic Alternative Unit where we really took a look at alternatives to incarceration, crisis intervention. I helped train law enforcement in the 40-hour crisis intervention training at the Criminal Justice Training Center. And I considered myself a good Democrat because I voted. And then we had our 2016 national election. And for the first time in my life, I was actually having an Election Night party at my house because I really wanted my children to see the face of the first U.S. woman president. Clearly the night did not go as I had planned. And so I went to my first Democratic Party meeting that December. And when I went there, I can tell you that the room was full - packed - with women. When I looked around that room, I recognized so many of the PTSA moms. And most of us were there, again, for the very first time because we felt we had to do something. And I didn't know what that something would look like. And a very good friend of mine who was on city council saw me there and she said, We have to have coffee. And so we sat down for coffee and her first question was, Do you want to run for office? And my response was, I don't think I'm qualified. And she literally fell off her chair laughing. And later I realized what a cliché my response was because apparently that's what all of us women say - we think we're not qualified. So she kind of worked on me and we had a Senate seat that was available. And February 14th, I announced I was running for the Senate. So my entire political engagement from the time from my first meeting to me announcing for Senate was two months. [00:03:25] Crystal Fincher: Wow. Well, and then you ran in a district where your victory was certainly not guaranteed - very competitive race - where you were successful and victorious and a first yourself, the first Sikh member of our state Senate. How did you use all of your lived experience in the Senate and how was your first term? [00:03:56] Senator Manka Dhingra: So the election was exciting because my seat actually flipped our State Senate. So our Senate was controlled by the Republicans and when I won, Democrats got in control. So the first session was actually pure chaos because we'd had gridlock in Olympia for so many years because we really couldn't pass meaningful bills. We had a session that would go into special session year after year because budgets couldn't be agreed upon. The year I was running, there were three special sessions and they still did not have all their budgets passed. And so when I won, normally people have orientation or some kind of onboarding. But when I won - because of the change - we had new Chairs, all this legislation that had been blocked for so many years like the flood gates had opened. So it was a very exciting time because I think we just passed such amazing progressive legislation and really were this beacon of light for the entire country on what a progressive legislation could look like or what a progressive state can look like. But I got to tell you, I was kind of lost in the mix there. But luckily I was able to hold my own and was very proud of the nine bills I passed my first session. [00:05:16] Crystal Fincher: And what were some of those bills? [00:05:17] Senator Manka Dhingra: So a lot of those bills were things that had really irked me for a very long time as an attorney and as a prosecutor. So there were a lot of bills around helping survivors of domestic violence, there were bills around sexual assault, around trafficking, and I had a Medicaid fraud unit bill, work around behavior health because I have been very concerned about mental illness and substance use disorder in our state. And normally when you're a first-time legislator, they do this thing on the Senate floor where your first bill - people actually kind of tease you a little about it or kind of give you a hard time. And when they looked at all my bills, they were all of such serious matters that they couldn't figure out which one should be my first bill. And so actually the Medicaid fraud unit was my first bill because that was the least serious about my other bills. But this was legislation that I knew that had to be fixed and we needed to do it. And frankly, I think the reason why I was so successful is because most of my bill ideas come from people who do the work and are able to really articulate what the problems are and then have the solutions because they're the experts in that field. And so I have maintained that manner of doing my work - is really making sure I hear from the people on the ground doing the work. [00:06:42] Crystal Fincher: And you have built that reputation of being very in touch with the community, of reaching out to stakeholders for your various bills, making sure that you speak with, inform, get feedback from people who are involved with and impacted by legislation you're proposing and the issues you're trying to address. One such issue was spurred by the Blake decision - that the Supreme Court found in our state - that essentially decriminalized personal use possession. And because of some challenges that that presented, like a potential patchwork of different laws passed by different cities all throughout the state, the Legislature decided to take action to try and pass one uniform policy all across the state. What was your approach to that and where did that end up? [00:07:30] Senator Manka Dhingra: Thank you. That is really the issue and the question that has been - people have been interested in for the last two years. Any time legislation is required, my question always is why? And what you gave in your question was really one of the reasons why we knew that legislation - is because we wanted a uniform way of making sure enforcement is the same for people, that they're not treated differently because they're using at a different intersection down the street. So that's why we wanted to make sure we had state legislation. This decision came out in the middle of session, so the timing was not optimal. And then it was very important to me to have a solution that is based on best practices and that is practical. So the original bill that I had was actually based on what the policy of the King County Prosecuting Attorney's Office was, along with a lot of the other prosecuting attorney's offices around the state. Because what we found at that time is - a lot of people doing this work had realized - that dealing with substance use disorder, it's not a criminal justice issue, it's a public health issue. And treating it like a criminal justice issue is what has really led us to where we are today. But you have to make sure you're focused on getting people into the treatment that they need. And so I was really trying to come up with a solution that said you have to have public health lead. And you also have to understand that while using the substance shouldn't be illegal, if there's criminal activity around that - like theft, criminal trespass, possession of weapons - that is still a criminal offense, but really being able to focus on treatment. So after a lot of negotiations, because I'll tell you, elected officials are very nervous of criminal justice issues. And I come from it differently because I practiced for 17 years. And we unfortunately did not get a bill that was based on best practices. We came close, but not quite. So what became the law of the land is that law enforcement was going to offer diversion the first two times that they came into contact with an individual. And then only after that would they refer that for a criminal case. And we took this opportunity to really provide a lot of resources for treatment - so we ensured that we had substance use disorder navigators who can help get people into treatment, we provided funding for treatment like Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion, to wraparound teams like HOST - Homeless Outreach Stabilization Teams, PACT - these assertive community treatment models. So really making sure that those resources go hand-in-hand, because if people have no place to go and they don't have treatment, nothing's going to really work. I also wanted to make sure that because we were creating this in the middle of session, that we had an expiration date. So I insisted that this law expire in three years. And we created a committee or task force made up of a wide variety of individuals - people with lived experience, people in the treatment community, housing people, law enforcement, prosecutors, defense - everyone who deals with this issue to come together to come up with recommendations. So those recommendations have officially been made. And our law expires this 2023, so we as the Legislature have to actually pass another substance use disorder law to make sure that we're, again, pushing ourselves to doing things that are based on - with best practices. [00:11:16] Crystal Fincher: Now the bill did not end up - at that time what passed - was not what you were ultimately happy with and didn't earn your vote at that time. But you did say that - because of some of those things that were funded, you really wanted to focus on getting those implemented and working across the state, because it's important to - if someone is going to make a referral for treatment or for services, that those services be available. And we were in a situation where those were not available in sufficient quantities around the state and people may not have been able to get their needs met. Where do those stand today? How far have we made it in terms of implementation and availability of services? [00:12:02] Senator Manka Dhingra: So I'll just say - on paper - the funding, the availability of services looked amazing. And then COVID hit. And one of the biggest barriers became COVID, because we weren't really able to implement everything that we wanted to. We had inpatient treatment services that had to be dramatically reduced because of social distancing - they had to limit their bed capacity. And so it's very challenging to talk about how successful or not successful this program could have been because it was greatly hampered by COVID. And we know from years and years of data and just knowing how humans behave - that when there is a huge incident like COVID - people do tend to self-medicate because of anxiety and depression. And we saw that. We saw use of alcohol and drugs go up exponentially because people were dealing with trauma. And so the combination of factors made it a lot more challenging. And so the resources weren't able to be deployed as timely as we would have liked. Now we're in a position - with this summer, we were able to do statewide deployment of the substance use navigators, so now they're around. We have funded a lot more options for law enforcement assisted diversions. So we have this program set up, but unfortunately we also had a lot of inpatient treatments that actually closed - because of COVID and their not being sustainable. The other issue also became is - there are a lot of individuals who really feel that there has to be an option for court-directed treatment - the court has to force you to do treatment. And so one of the things we had talked about is - if you want the option of that, you still have that through Drug Court, Mental Health Court, Veterans Court - if people engage in other criminal activity in addition to substance use disorder. We also have a civil commitment statute - we have Involuntary Treatment Act - we have assisted treatment where if you really want it to be court-ordered, you can do it through the civil system. And so we were really hoping to ramp up our civil system to do that. And again, due to COVID and what happened with our judicial system, we weren't really able to get there. So I would say where we are now from when the bill was passed - not as far along as we would have liked. And we simply haven't had the time to give these programs the setup that they actually needed. So in an ideal situation, I would have liked to see one more year of us working under this bill to really see what's working and what's not, and then come up with a different solution. But unfortunately we don't have that time and COVID did make things more challenging in terms of implementation. [00:15:00] Crystal Fincher: So in terms of these programs and what was funded and addressing the capacity and now increased staffing issues with a lot of these services, is there going to be a push for increased funding? Does the existing funding already cover the implementation? What action needs to be taken from the legislature to ensure that in another year's time we are where we do want to be? [00:15:24] Senator Manka Dhingra: So absolutely the funding needs to continue and it will. The cities and the counties that do have the programs up and running - because it was a gradual start - have actually shown really positive results. We are seeing individuals getting the help they need. We have had law enforcement in those areas actually appreciate the resources that have been provided to the community to do this work. We also have to take a look at - how do we staff inpatient units? The way we pay them for per bed usage doesn't really work when you have pandemics because a third of the beds can't be used. So if you're only paying them for the beds, they can't do full staffing if they're not allowed to use a third of their beds. So we really have to rethink what that payment for treatment looks like. And there've been some really interesting ideas on integration, and paying for the whole person, and paying for programs rather than for each beds. And that's what COVID really taught us - being really creative on how we are supporting some of our community clinics, so I think you're going to see some really exciting stuff coming in on more integrated community-led efforts. Our federal government, in the last two years under President Biden, has really made a lot of federal dollars available for us to do this work. And Washington is really set up very well to take advantage of these federal dollars. I think it's still an exciting time and - it always gets darkest before the light, but I do think we are going to be turning the corner on the opioid epidemic. [00:17:06] Crystal Fincher: I hope so. And so now you're going to be taking up this legislation again - you're forced to - and many people were supportive of the sunset and revisiting of this legislation this session. It looks like there, once again, is a mixed variety of opinions on the right way forward this session. And it looks like there are a growing amount of people, supported by what looks like changing public sentiment, or absolutely a number of polls in support of a public health approach as opposed to a criminalized approach to substance use disorder and possession of personal amounts. Is there the opportunity this session to move towards a full public health approach and move away from criminalization of personal possession of substances? [00:17:59] Senator Manka Dhingra: I wish I could tell you there was. This is unfortunately the truth in politics that I've learned - is that normally the public is way ahead of elected officials. Over and over again, I've heard from the public that when they see their loved one, their neighbor, their friend, or even the stranger struggling with substance use disorder, they want treatment. The first response isn't to send someone to prison. And so the recommendation out of this committee - it's actually called SURSAC [Substance Use Recovery Services Advisory Committee] - was for decriminalization of personal use. And so the bill that I will be sponsoring is based on the committee's recommendation, because I think it's really important to honor that work. That work and their conclusions are based on best practices, it's data driven through looking at what has worked around the world - not just in the United States - because we know this is a worldwide problem. We don't have the votes for that in the Senate or in the House. So I'll have my bill, which is based on best practices and data. We are going to have another bill by Senator Robinson, who is going to take a lot of the treatment recommendations coming out of that group, but it does make possession of personal use a gross misdemeanor. It encourages diversion, but that's where it's at. We're going to have other individuals who may want to make it back as a felony - I don't think there's appetite at all to have it be a felony because that has failed so miserably. And I know there's some interest in making it a misdemeanor. All of those have issues, right? No one is going to agree on one version of it, but I think the best decisions are always the decisions that are made when they're data-driven. I don't think our legislature is there. I don't think the Blake fix is going to be evidence-based or data-driven. It will criminalize personal drug use with a lot of options for diversion. And the hope really is that the prosecutors, the judges are in a position to make those referrals. The hope really is that community resources come in and are able to help people outside of the criminal justice system. I'm a little disappointed, but that's human nature. All you can do is continue to make the case on trying to do things that work. [00:20:40] Crystal Fincher: Absolutely. [00:20:41] Senator Manka Dhingra: But people are driven by fear. [00:20:43] Crystal Fincher: Yeah. And appreciate your continued work to continue to make the case and for standing by that when it comes to voting. Is there the opportunity with this to implement another sunset - for as you said, as we get more infrastructure set up around the state, accounting for the COVID delays and challenges, that maybe we get to revisit this in another couple of years? [00:21:08] Senator Manka Dhingra: You know, I'm not sure about that - we'll have to see how it works. The reality is you can have whatever laws you want - it depends on what implementation looks like. So when the Blake decision came out, the current individuals who were charged with drug possession cases - all those cases had to be dismissed. And if they were in custody, they had to be released. Now, I was very curious to know how many of those individuals currently existed, because I had heard and know that most of these cases weren't being prosecuted - that they were actually being deferred. And that was actually true. People thought the Drug Courts would close - they didn't. There were very few Drug Courts that actually had individuals that were only there for drug possession cases, because the culture of enforcement has changed so much. Because the people that do that work know that having someone go through the court system or look at incarceration does not improve the substance use disorder. It actually makes it worse. And so practically, there were not people in Drug Court to any significant degree when this decision came out. And that's why I tried to tell people - that there was already that recognition in our criminal justice system that said, We're not prosecuting these individuals, they're being offered diversions at the time of booking. Or they end up pleading guilty to a reduced sentence and finish that time in jail and leave. So there is a disconnect between the laws on our book and what is being implemented. And I think all we can do is actually make that community treatment program really robust and provide those resources, and destigmatize substance use disorder so that people can actually feel comfortable going for treatment and acknowledging that they have a problem. [00:22:56] Crystal Fincher: That makes sense. Another issue that has been an issue that has been talked about throughout the community has been those surrounding police pursuits. High speed vehicle chases - I suppose some may not be at high speeds - but pursuing people who they suspect of fleeing because of some crime or being wanted for a reason. And lots of talk in the community and data and evidence about the injuries and deaths caused by police pursuits - and really weighing whether the risk of pursuit is worth it in cases where someone is not wanted for a violent crime and people's health and wellbeing seem to be in immediate jeopardy, as opposed to a property crime or something else like that. What is the work that you've done on that? And do you anticipate that being an issue? Where do you stand on that? [00:23:53] Senator Manka Dhingra: I go back to the way I deal with legislation - I start off with what is the problem you're trying to solve? So when it came to police pursuits, the question was - what is the problem we're trying to solve? And the problem we were trying to solve is data that came out that said 50% of the people that are killed during police chases are individuals that have nothing to do with the incident. These are innocent bystanders who get killed. And that number is at 50% in the state. That is an unacceptable number. So we took a look and said, OK, how can we reduce that number? And so the police pursuit bill that was passed by the Senate and the House and signed into law is one that's actually based in best practices. It was based on a policy that very closely mirrored what a lot of our cities were already doing. So we do have some cities that had very similar policies and others that frankly were not good partners in doing this work. And so we passed that. There were a few cities who didn't really have to change their policies because that is what their official policy was. And there were others that were forced to change their policy. And this is exactly what you mentioned, Crystal - it is about doing that analysis. We made sure that if it's a domestic violence case, you can pursue the vehicle. If it's a case involving violence, you can pursue the vehicle. If it's a DUI, you can pursue the vehicle. But when it comes to property, we said, No, you can't - because there are other ways to catch an individual in today's day and age. And guess what? We haven't had innocent people dying since this policy was enacted. So did we solve the problem of not having 50% of the fatalities be uninvolved? We absolutely did. We do not have innocent people dying in vehicle pursuits. And I've heard criticism that, Oh, people are just fleeing and not getting caught. And I've asked the question, Are they not getting caught in that instant? Are they getting arrested the next day or a few days later? Guess what? They're being arrested, they're just arrested a few days later. And now they're being charged with a felony - attempting to elude - because they fled. So I know that there are cities and law enforcement agencies that want us to go back on our vehicle pursuit bill. And I have asked them for data - because I do tend to be data-driven - and I've said, Show me how many people have not been caught because of this data. The only data they can show me is the number of pursuits is up. And I'm like, And what happens the day after? Because when they share the stories with me, they always end with, Oh, yes, and we caught the guy two days later or the next day. And so again, I think for those who want us to change our policy, I come back with what is the problem you're trying to solve and where is the data supporting that? And I have not seen the data that tells me that this is the wrong policy. [00:26:53] Crystal Fincher: Well, and I appreciate the approach you take in being very data-driven because really - there's a lot of conflicting information out there. There's a lot of people who sometimes are scared just by change. And so looking at what the situation actually is based on evidence makes a lot of sense. This was an issue with a number of bills around public safety in prior sessions where there - in 2020 - where a number of accountability bills passed. And then following that, some seeming cold feet amid pushback from some law enforcement officials and others saying, Well, you have prevented us from being able to do our jobs and you're putting public safety at risk by holding us more accountable. What was your take on that, and on some of the legislation that rolled back some of the accountability progress that was made? [00:27:53] Senator Manka Dhingra: When people started saying - Oh, the Legislature prevented us from doing our work, my question was - No, we made sure you can be held liable for taking wrong actions. If they choose not to act because they're afraid of liability, that is not the Legislature preventing them from doing their job. It's that they have to relearn how to do their job. Or go back to best practices that they were taught - but over time, those practices have kind of gone away because you just kind of start doing what everyone else does and not really focus on best practices. And the bottom line is this. We had to do all of that work because of George Floyd. And the years and years and years of Black people telling us that they're being killed at the hands of law enforcement and frankly, the world not listening - until we had COVID, was stuck in our house, didn't have any new Hollywood movies coming out or new TV shows coming out - and we had to watch the video that was captured. And finally acknowledge and say, Yes, what people have been saying is true and real. We, as elected officials, have to do something about it. So it comes down to, again, what is the problem that we were trying to solve? And the problem is that Black and Brown men and women are treated unfairly with law enforcement. And when you see that so blatantly and so starkly that you cannot make excuses for it anymore, like we have been for decades, you have to do something and you cannot do business as usual. There has to be accountability. And like you said, change is hard. People don't like making change. But unless they do it themselves, it is thrusted upon them and that is - the job of electeds and the Legislature is to make sure we are standing up for each and every human being. I represent cities like Duvall and Woodinville, Redmond, Kirkland - each and every one of these cities had a Black Lives Matter protest - down in Duvall, Woodinville, Redmond, Kirkland. I was there at all of them. This is something that our population demanded and the Legislature provided. And it's going to take a while for people to make the changes, but these are changes that are needed. We are an outlier in the United States when it comes to fatalities at the hand of law enforcement. No other country has that rate like the US does. And it's time we took it seriously and put in practices that are going to prevent it. [00:30:46] Crystal Fincher: Agreed. And as you talked about before, lots of times the public is more in tune with data and reality - because they're living it - than some of the elected officials. We just saw in these past elections in November where we had a county prosecutor race where people with two very different views were running. One focused on more punitive punishment measures, focused a lot on criminalization and focusing on that. Another one who's saying, Okay, we're not going to not follow the law, but we need to follow the evidence and start to pursue policies, or continue the path of pursuing policies like diversion that have been shown to be more successful in helping people get on a productive path to not commit any more crimes and to reduce the amount of people who are victimized. As you continue through this path of various legislation in this session, what is your message to people who do say that police accountability gets in the way of public safety? [00:31:54] Senator Manka Dhingra: And I just say that is absolutely not true. Holding someone responsible for bad actions has nothing to do with public safety. Public safety is about your perception of safety. You can talk about domestic violence and I can tell you, and I'm going to say mostly women - because we are talking mostly women who are victims or survivors - they have not felt safe in their house for decades. And people will not say that that is a public safety issue because they're thinking about what happens when they walk down the street, not what is happening in their own home. When we talk about sexual assault, it's a different concept of public safety. When we talk about trafficking, it's different. And so we have to - when we talk about public safety, it's not about property crimes. It's about individuals feeling safe - at home, in their school, or out in the street. And so we have to be focused on human safety and them feeling safe in whatever environment they're in. Right now when people talk about public safety, they're only talking about car thefts, and thefts from businesses, and graffiti, and seeing people using drugs on the street - that's not public safety. Those all tend to be public health issues and systems that aren't funded appropriately. And frankly, the systemic racism that has occurred in this country for generations that has allowed these wealth inequities. So we have to talk about public safety as the human feeling safe. And I can tell you - it is women, women of color who are most at risk of being victims of public safety, but we don't talk about that. I do. And that is how I frame these issues is - we have done a terrible job when it comes to investigating, reporting, prosecuting sexual assault. Same thing about domestic violence, same thing about trafficking. And when you take a look at the ills in our society, it comes down to gender-based violence. It comes down to our children being raised in households where they see domestic violence, the trauma that occurs through there. So public safety is a lot more complicated than seeing there's a rise in their concerns about public safety - because when you really take a look at the holistic concept of public safety, there isn't. And I'll just say for decades, crime in our country has been reducing. Then the last three years, because of the pandemic, you've seen a rise in violence and a rise in crimes, but overall, when you take a look at trend over decades, we are at a downward trend. It is still the best time to live in America right now than it ever has been. That is actually true. Technology is there to help us, we have more access to resources, there are more people being fed, and there are more people who are actually safe. So let's try to change that conversation on public safety because the sound bites are not based in reality. [00:34:55] Crystal Fincher: They really aren't. And it looks like by these - once again - most recent election results, the public recognizes that and wants to move towards more evidence-based solutions. I also want to talk about - you talk about who are most often victims of crime. And when we talk about victims, so often it's in the context of, Well, victims would want this person punished. And what are you going to say to the victims if this person doesn't spend a whole bunch of time in jail? But it seems like we engage less on - how do we actually best support victims? How do we do that? And how can we do better? [00:35:32] Senator Manka Dhingra: That is such a great question. Thank you so much for framing it the way you just did because that's absolutely true. People - because of TV shows - mostly have this image of this victim who's like this innocent, fragile, vulnerable person who has never done anything wrong in her life. That is not who the victim is. Victims are as complicated as any single human being. And many times when you take a look at a victim of crime, especially in our society, they're not strangers. You normally know the perpetrator of violence, and there's that connection. And so when you talk about what the victim wants, it isn't necessarily punishment or prison time for 20 years. It is much more nuanced and much more complicated. As I mentioned, I used to run the Therapeutic Alternative Unit, and we really used to make sure - we were the first in the country, actually, to not have any criminal history that's a bar to participate in this program. But I insisted that part of this program, we have a victim advocate. And that when there were crimes involving victims, that the victim's voice would be part of what the resolution is. And I cannot tell you - over and over again, when you provided victims the resources and the services and you explained the program, they wanted that defendant to go through that program. Because they want that person to get better, they want to make sure that what happened to them doesn't happen to anyone else. And when the victim feels supported and has resources on their own, they can actually deal with their own trauma and move on - because no one wants to hold on to that hurt and that anger. It is not good for anybody. But unless we as a society can provide those resources and that support, the victims aren't going to get better. And when they don't, you just have that cycle over and over again. And one of the bills that I'm really proud of - I passed a couple of years ago - and it was about making sure that if you are a survivor of domestic violence, sexual assault or trafficking, when you are on your path to recovery, you can get your criminal history, your convictions expunged. And the reason I really wanted that bill is because - trauma exerts itself as a reaction, not just as a memory. And so there are so many people in the criminal justice system who are survivors - they're survivors of violence. And they're engaging in the criminal justice system because of that trauma. And we don't have a criminal justice system that is trauma-informed. We're trying to get there. But being trauma-informed means you have to understand that anyone coming into that system may and most probably has suffered trauma. And unless you deal with that underlying trauma, you're going to continue on that cycle. So I think there's a lot more work we need to do in being trauma-informed throughout our criminal justice system. [00:38:31] Crystal Fincher: Well, I appreciate that and appreciate your work. And also, your work on the 988 system. Can you explain what that is and where that stands in terms of implementation? [00:38:43] Senator Manka Dhingra: Absolutely - you're asking about my favorite bills. I've been working with the mental health community for a very long time in my other job as a Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney. And one of the things people have wanted for a very, very long time is a mental health crisis line. Because it's not illegal to be mentally ill, yet we call 911 and have law enforcement show up. And so 988 is a national number that went live in July. And we took this opportunity in the state of Washington to create an entire crisis system around 988. So right now, if anyone who needs help - if they're suicidal or in crisis, that's a mental health substance use disorder crisis - they can call 988. The 988 phone number is actually staffed by mental health professionals - individuals who are trained in how to deescalate and help with situations. And so we made sure that we provided funding for the people responding to the calls - that they had the credentials needed to do this work. We made sure that these hubs of 988 are actually going to - in the next few years, they are going to have a mobile response team that is made up of community mental health professionals along with peers. We are connecting 911 and 988 in the sense that there's cross-training - because a lot of the calls that come to 911 are actually mental health calls. So we want them to be able to transfer those calls through 988. And there may be times when a call comes into 988, but there's a weapon involved or a gun involved, and they need that help from 911. So we're working on cross-training and some kind of cross-mobilization. But what we have found is - from other states that have done some of this work - is that when you have a mental health professional answering these calls, 90% of the calls are able to be resolved. The 10% that need someone to show up for them - 7% can be handled with a mental health professional going out along with a peer, and only 3% need law enforcement. And so being a lot smarter about how we are responding to people in crisis - because they don't need to go to jail, most of them don't even need to go to an emergency room. We also took this opportunity to set up a structure where we can have more technology and data. We would love to do a bed tracking system, so someone who needs help - the 988 operator can take a look and know that there is a bed available for them, that they can connect them to treatment. Come January, our state mandates next-day appointments. So if you call the crisis line, your insurance or Medicaid - whatever it can be - is mandated that the next day you are going to go see somebody. And that's going to be a game changer because you're making sure people get the treatment they need when they need it. So I am super excited about this system. More work to be done on it, but we are well on our path to do it. We - normally, in the state of Washington, while we can be proud of so much, we are not the state that is in the top 10 for mental health services, but our 988 bill is the national model in the country. And I have to say, I was very proud - with Representative Orwall who sponsored the bill, and I - both of us got an award, actually a national award, recognizing us for our 988 bill. So very, very exciting time and so much more to come on this. [00:42:20] Crystal Fincher: Excellent. And what do you say to people who are concerned that - who are trying to avoid a situation that may be escalated, especially with some of the challenges that law enforcement have in responding to and deescalation, deescalating situations - whether it's people of color, or disabled people, or people in crisis - that calling 988 could result in a law enforcement response or an involuntary confinement for behavioral health treatment. [00:42:53] Senator Manka Dhingra: When I said the numbers on the percentage of calls and the manner in which they're dealt with, what you find is when you have the right resources right at the beginning, you don't need law enforcement, you don't need civil commitment because you are able to, again, use your motivational interviewing skills. You're able to offer people services and support. That next-day appointment is critical. Because if they're willing to go see someone - a doctor, a nurse, a mental health specialist, whoever that person may be - they don't need to be involuntary treatment, ITA'ed as they call it, because they're going in for treatment. So you have to make early intervention options available as much as possible. There are always those individuals who may need a high level of care, so you have to make sure that you are able to meet them wherever they are - but you got to make sure you're providing early intervention. I will have a bill next session that actually sets up these facilities called 23-hour facilities. And so the hope really is that those individuals who can't wait for the next-day appointment, that we are actually able to take them to these 23-hour facilities where the hope really is that they're there for 23 hours - because they can't stay there longer than that - and then you have to have a transition plan on how you're going to get them connected to other services and support. And that's what we have found is that - the right intervention at the right time - really, people want help, that's why they're calling. They're not calling because they actually want to kill themselves. It's because they're like, Help me, I'm afraid I'm going to do this. And so you have to provide the help that they're asking for. [00:44:31] Crystal Fincher: Much appreciated. I appreciate you taking the time to go through all of this with us today. As we close, I wanted to talk about one of my favorite things that you, or any legislator does - and that is working with youth. How do you do that? And what were you able to accomplish? [00:44:49] Senator Manka Dhingra: I love working with our youth. When I first ran for office five years ago - at that time, my kids were 13 and 15. And I used to coach Destination Imagination, and Math Team, and a lot of teams. And so I had to tell them that, Hey, I'm going to run for office, so I'm going to have to step aside from coaching these teams. And the teens were like, Can we help? And I'm like, Yes. So I had 250 teenagers helping me on my first and second campaign - no one had heard, seen so many teenagers working on a campaign. And so my promise to them was - I will continue engaging with them. So I sponsor bills that have been brought to me by teens every year for the last five years. And my favorite bill for next session is going to be one - is one - that's been brought to me by teens in my district. And that's around eliminating gender-based pricing. They literally went to Target and Costco and took pictures of a bike helmet that's pink in color and the exact same helmet - same company, same everything - that's blue in color. And the blue helmet is for $20 and the pink helmet is for $25. And they even did that with adult diapers. I didn't know this, but apparently women's adult diapers are much more expensive than men adult diapers - no clue why. So I'm going to have that bill next session - I'm super excited about it. But these teens are the ones that made sure we now have menstrual products in all our schools and college bathrooms. We no longer, in Washington, pay taxes on menstrual products. And it's not just this stuff they care about - they care about access to mental health treatment and services, and substance use disorder, and criminal justice reform. You name it, and these teens want to make positive changes. And I cannot tell you how excited I feel looking at the next generation. [00:46:44] Crystal Fincher: Absolutely. And this isn't even the first bill that they've brought to you. In fact, we have better access to menstrual products because of youth bringing up legislation, correct? [00:46:54] Senator Manka Dhingra: Absolutely. They really want to make sure that they can change the world. And that bill came about because of a conversation I was having with some of the teens. And the teens in the Redmond High School said they have menstrual products in their school. And I knew that teens in Kent and Moses Lake did not. And they started talking about how that's just not fair - that our school districts in more affluent communities are actually providing menstrual products than schools that are not in affluent areas. And guess who needs it more? And so just the fact that these teens think about access - and think about who is getting services and resources and who isn't - is just heartwarming for me. And the fact that they're willing to fight for others. So yes, all schools in Washington and colleges provide menstrual products in bathrooms now. [00:47:51] Crystal Fincher: Absolutely. And if people want to learn more about the work that you're doing or support legislation that you have, what's the best way for them to get engaged? [00:48:00] Senator Manka Dhingra: The best way is to email my office, or get a hold of me on social media, and subscribe to my newsletter. If anyone is interested in any particular bill or issue, my office can help you get connected to how to get more information. But check out our website, leg.wa.gov - they have a lot of resources on how you can follow a bill, how you can sign up to testify. Our hearings are all hybrid, so you can testify on an issue from the comfort of your home or your car - as long as you're not driving. And if you don't want to testify, you can send in written testimony or simply show your support for a bill or opposition to a bill - and all of that gets counted. And democracy is not an individual sport - it is a team sport. You got to play and you got to be part of a team - and that's the only way we make our world better. [00:48:56] Crystal Fincher: Well, thank you so much today, Senator Manka Dhingra, for joining us and for sharing all of the work that you're doing. [00:49:02] Senator Manka Dhingra: Thank you so much. This was a great conversation and I loved absolutely chatting about these tough issues with you. [00:49:09] Crystal Fincher: Well, thank you and we will stay in touch. Thank you all for listening to Hacks & Wonks. The producer of Hacks & Wonks is Lisl Stadler. Our assistant producer is Shannon Cheng, and our Post-Production Assistant is Bryce Cannatelli. You can find Hacks & Wonks on Twitter @HacksWonks, and you can follow me @finchfrii, spelled F-I-N-C-H-F-R-I-I. You can catch Hacks & Wonks on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever else you get your podcasts - just type "Hacks and Wonks" into the search bar. Be sure to subscribe to get our Friday almost-live shows and our midweek show delivered right to your podcast feed. If you like us, leave us a review wherever you listen. You can also get a full transcript of this episode and links to the resources referenced in the show at officialhacksandwonks.com and in the episode notes. Thanks for tuning in - talk to you next time.
The Reverend Andra D. Sparks is a native of Birmingham, Alabama. He is the eldest son of the late Cedric L. Sparks and the late Doris Jones Sparks. He is a lifelong member of First Missionary Baptist Church East Boyles. He has been actively involved in all aspects of the ministry. He has previously served as an Associate Minister, Deacon (Vice-Chairman), Trustee (Vice-Chair) Director of Youth and Children's Activities, Sunday School Teacher and the church's legal advisor. Reverend Sparks was educated in the Birmingham Public School System. He is a 1981 graduate of West End High School. He received his Bachelor of Science Degree in 1985 from Tuskegee Institute and his Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of Alabama School of Law in 1988. Reverend Sparks is a graduate of the United States Army Judge Advocate General's School. He also pursued studies at Birmingham Theological Seminary. He has been honored for community service activities. In 2013 Metro NAACP Award as Pastor of the Year, April 2012, Inducted into the YMCA Order of the Red Triangle (the highest honor for a volunteer). Community Champion Award – The Dannon Project 2010 Meritorious Achievement Award – Lawson State Community College- January 2008 presented with the Key to City of Gadsden, Alabama; Recognized as one the most influential citizens in the 2009 and 2008 Edition of Who's Who in Birmingham, Alabama; 2007 Appointed to the Blue Ribbon Committee to Review the Birmingham Mayor/Council Act; 2006 Recognized as a “Trailblazer for Education” Birmingham City Schools, Ted Hawkins Award of Excellence, Jarvis Christian College Birmingham Alumni; Appreciation from Seraaj Family Homes, Inc.; 2005 Award of Appreciation from Jefferson County Aids in Minorities; February 2004 The Alabama Association of Family and Consumer Science Professionals presented him with Family Advocate Award. In 2003, he was presented with the first Western Area YMCA Harrison/ Atkins Award for Outstanding Board Leadership. In 2002 he received the first IMPACT Family Counseling G.O.L.D. Medal Award, and was presented the Professional Child Advocacy Award from Seraaj Family Homes, Inc. In 2001 he represented the Birmingham City Council District Eight on the Citizen's Commission of Redistricting (Co-Chair). In 2000 he was honored as Adult Volunteer of the Year by the Western Area YMCA. In March 2008, he was appointed Municipal Court Judge for the City of Fairfield, the first African American to hold the position. In August 2008, the Birmingham City Council appointed Judge Sparks to a newly established seat on Birmingham's Municipal Court to establish and preside over the Drug Court and Gun Court Dockets. He was reappointed in 2012. In December 2010 he was appointed Presiding Judge for the City of Birmingham Municipal Court (the largest Municipal Court in the State of Alabama with five full time judges, two part-time Special Judges and more than one hundred employees) by the Mayor. Reverend Sparks has been happily married to the former Karen Moore since June 28, 1986. They are the proud parents of Anthony (author of #Better and RelationTips) who is married to Ashley (a teacher in the Hoover School District) and Brittany, (a registered nurse with UAB who writes the blog Until Nothing Is Left) who is married to George (a Birmingham firefighter). They are the proud grandparents of Aidan, who currently believes he will be a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, George Solomon, and Ashton Donell.
Attorney, past specialty court judge (drug court), and social entrepreneur, Katie Sullivan, joins Recovery Uncensored from her home to share a remarkable story of trials, tribulations, and success that took her all the way to working with the Trump Administration's Department of Justice. Having nearly 26 years of continuous recovery from alcoholism, Katie was nothing short of honest with her challenges with alcohol, later attending 12 step meetings, and being challenged as a judge of Colorado's 5th judicial district for being in recovery by defense attorneys and their clients. Before becoming a judge, she had a private practice and later served as Deputy District Attorney in Colorado. Katie was appointed by William Barr as the Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Office of Justice Programs. Today, she and her husband, Dr. Art Kleinschmidt, have retired from government positions and began a new journey with their organization Recovery for America Now Foundation, where the well-known Dr. Drew Pinsky sits on their Advisory Board. Their mission, "saving lives through treatment scholarships."
Addiction has taken a toll on many American households. Young and old, rich and poor, and people of all races struggle with opioids and other drugs. While the problem might be national, a new study from The Manhattan Institute's Charles Fain Lehman says the solutions are more local.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
THE HONORABLE MARK POWELLLACKAWANNA COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEYMark Powell, District Attorney of Lackawanna County, has made combating the opioid crisis a top priority of his administration. He is the co-chair of the Lackawanna Recovery Coalition, which works to reduce opioid overdose deaths in Lackawanna County by connecting people with substance use disorder to treatment, implementing lifesaving harm-reduction strategies, advocating for long-term recovery, and working to reduce stigma surrounding the disease of addiction. In October 2019, District Attorney Powell established an Overdose Fatality Review Team to study overdose deaths in Lackawanna County to determine the root causes of addiction-related deaths and implement evidence-based solutions. DA Powell also initiated a Fresh Start Program for lower-level drug offenders to supplement Treatment Court. Fresh Start gives offenders the chance to choose treatment instead of jail and avoid having a criminal record. He is also a board member of the Lackawanna County Treatment Court, which established and operates the Recovery Bank in downtown Scranton, a peer-driven recovery support center that focuses on whole-person healing of mind, body, and spirit.DA Powell is on the Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association's Executive Board and serves on its Education and Training Committee. In addition, he was appointed by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania to serve on the Continuing Legal Education Board, which oversees education programs for attorneys statewide.Before being elected DA, Powell was a partner in the Powell Law firm in Scranton for 27 years. He earned many professional accolades, including the distinction of being a Board-Certified Trial Specialist in both Criminal Law and Civil Law by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. For 12 years, he served as a Hearing Committee member for the Pennsylvania Disciplinary Board and is a past president of Northeastern Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association. He is past co-chair of the Lackawanna County Bench Bar Conference and serves on the Lackawanna Bar Association's Continuing Legal Education and Bench Bar Committee. DA Powell frequently teaches CLE seminars for other attorneys across the state. In 2016, the National Institute for Trial Advocacy awarded him the Teaching Excellence Award at the Advanced Trial Advocacy Program.DA Powell earned his undergraduate degree from Villanova University, his Juris Doctorate from Catholic University, and his Master of Laws in Trial Advocacy from Temple University where he graduated with honors.Check Out Lackawanna Recovery Coalition's Website BelowFREE NALOXONE BY MAIL TODAY with this LINKhttps://www.lackawannarecovery.org/Support the show
Meet ATTORNEY FRANK BOLOCK , Today's guest is Attorney Frank J. Bolock, Jr. Frank has practiced civil and criminal law throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania for almost 43 years. In addition to his law practice Bolock serves as the president, CEO of Treatment court Advocacy Center of Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania nonprofit corporation, and he's also the project director of the Recovery Bank, which we'll speak about today to community Recovery Resource Center, developed by the treatment court advocacy. The mission of the treatment court advocacy is to assist treatment court participants and alleviating obstacles to their compliance with the requirements of treatment court, and also to assist the participants in engaging fully in their recovery. The Recovery Bank Community Recovery Resource Center has as its mission connecting treatment court participants and people new to recovery with peers and long term recovery and recovery resources. Frank is also served as assistant district attorney with the Lackawanna County District Attorney's Office, where he prosecuted a wide variety of criminal cases ranging from Homicide to misdemeanor offenses, compiling an outstanding record of success as a prosecutor. Following several years as an assistant district attorney, Attorney Bolock began his criminal defense practice which continues throughout the Pennsylvania federal court systems. Additionally, Bolock has served as special advocate to the Lackawanna County treatment court. Today Frank comes in to talk about the genesis of the recovery bank and how that came about. Frank is a friend. And we get to speak about this genesis of the RECOVERY BANK over the course of three decades, where Frank was introduced to service, and with that experience, he was able to help shepherd, the recovery bank with a lot of other great people. VISIT the BANK:https://recoverybank.org/LAWYERS in Recovery PA resources,https://www.lclpa.org/help-for-lawyers/recovery-meetings/Support the show
JR Weaver, author of the award winning, “The Addiction Manifesto,” army veteran and person in recovery, is our guest today. JR and Jeannine discuss drug court, Smart Recovery as compared with twelve step, and JRs journey from crack addiction and alcoholism to nearly five years clean and sober. Info on smart recovery: https://www.smartrecovery.org/ Connect with JR and Recovery Revolution: https://m.facebook.com/RecoveryRevolution100/ Connect with the show: https://bit.ly/3LKk9G3
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