Drug Court Now in Session

It's not everyday people get excited about going to court, but Friday, Jan. 22 was just a little different. It was the first day of drug court in Glasgow.

The courtroom was far from packed, but there were a number of supporters in the audience, as well as many key people involved in the program.

Judge Lynn Gilbert, city court judge, presided over the hearing, which boasted four participants. The inaugural session was short and more of a formality, but monumental nonetheless.

Judge Gilbert could hardly contain her excitement and pride in the individuals who chose to participate. "I am so proud of all of you," she told the four participants, explaining that many people would just choose to do jail time and "get it over with". Instead, the individuals in court that day were making a meaningful commitment by being there.

Judge Gilbert also described the program as a "major accomplishment" and said, "We couldn't have done it as one individual."

The road to establishing the groundbreaking drug court in Glasgow was lengthy, but thorough. Several city and county entities were involved in the initial meetings that led to the development of the program. Joining Judge Gilbert were representatives from local law enforcement, mental health, State Probation and Parole, the public defender's office, and the county attorney's office. Those meetings began in May 2014.

The National Drug Court Institute (NDCI) and the National Association of Drug Court Professionals ( NADCP) were huge resources for researching and training. Judge Gilbert, County Attorney Nick Murnion, and Glasgow Police Department's Tyler Edwards traveled to Billings to observe in Billings Municipal Court, and members of the group received a very comprehensive three days of training from the NADCP in August 2014.

In April 2015, the federal grant became available for applications. Judge Gilbert, along with Glasgow's City Grant Manager, Kathy Granger, took pen to paper and meticulously wrote the grant that would ultimately be awarded. "I was so surprised when we were awarded the grant," explained Judge Gilbert. "It's very unusual for applicants to receive this grant the first time applying for it. We are very fortunate," she added.

The awarded grant will maintain the program for three years. Judge Gilbert hopes they can work on making the program sustainable in other ways, but re-applying for the grant is an option and likely a necessity.

Although the grant was initially awarded in October 2015, the submitted budget had to be approved by the financial bureau of the Department of Justice before the program could get started. In January of this year, the budget was approved, and Emery Brelje, probation and parole, and Tasha Mix, drug coordinator, were hired soon after to fill the newly created part-time positions.

In order to be accepted into the program, applicants must be 18 years of age, and reside in Valley County. They also must be "high-risk" and "high-need," as well as be free from violent history.

Taking these criteria and more into account, participants are assessed for eligibility by Brelje and Mix, the only two paid employees associated with the drug court. All other entities have absorbed their responsibilities into their already established positions.

Potential participants can come from recommendations by Judge Gilbert, Justice Court Judge Christy Hillman, and District Court Judge John McKeon.

The drug court has five phases, and can take between 12 and 24 months to complete. In order to graduate from the program, participants must meet another set of criteria, which can include employment, sobriety, community involvement, or academic programs.

Judge Gilbert indicates that the program can have up to 18 participants enrolled at one time and hopes to have helped 80 people by the end of the current three year grant.

When asked what the vision or goal of the program is, Judge Gilbert again had difficulty containing her enthusiasm. She describes the program as a way to help people who have been caught up in the criminal justice system. It can be used as an avenue to provide positive reinforcement and support to the participants, as well as allowing them to feel a sense of accomplishment.

Judge Gilbert stresses that the participants will be held accountable and could face sanctions at times, but seems optimistic that those are just minor potential roadblocks on the path to graduating from the program.

Coming down the road, according to Judge Gilbert, a community meeting will be held for people interested in learning more about the program.

Drug court will be held at 9:30 a.m. every Friday in the Valley County Courthouse.