Public invited to Adult Drug Court Graduation Ceremony at the Courthouse

The Adult Drug Court Program invites the public to celebrate the completion of its program by eight participants. The graduation will take place July 29 at 2:30pm at the Jury Selection room on the Ground floor of the Courthouse. Members of our community will share stories of our local heroes who were successful in changing their lives, fighting for sobriety through setbacks and personal challenges.

The Humboldt County Probation Department is proud to celebrate over 500 participants successfully completing the program since its inception in 1997. All graduates were addicted to methamphetamine, heroin, alcohol, or a combination thereof, and found themselves entangled in the criminal justice system. Drug Court offers all participants the opportunity to change their lives.

Drug Court is an 18-month program with intensive supervision, frequent drug and alcohol testing and supportive interventions and therapy. Many who enter the program do not succeed. Many reject the offer while in jail because they have heard how difficult it is.

All of the recent graduates completed a residential treatment program, transitioned into the community with job requirements, as well as personal goals of reunifying with family who, for the most part, believed their loved ones would end up dead. Six graduates are employed fulltime and all are making restitution payments to the county and their victims. Many have obtained their California driver’s license. All have goals and dreams for the future.

Statistics show that 75 percent of Drug Court graduates will never return to the criminal system. What statistics do not reflect is the effect their transformation has on their family, their children, friends and their community. They inspire all those around them to believe in the ability we have as human beings to overcome horrible abuse, pain and suffering and face our demons without the coping mechanism of intoxicating substances.