Marion drug court aims to save lives, help people return to place in community

It's not an overstatement to say that the purpose of local drug courts is to save lives, help people reunite with their families, and reintegrate into the community because that's precisely the approach taken by those who work within the programs.

That attitude was evident during a staff meeting convened for the Marion Municipal Court's specialized docket program known as Making Accountability and Recovery Count Court (MARC).

The Supreme Court of Ohio defines a specialized docket as “a particular session of court that offers a therapeutically oriented judicial approach to providing court supervision and appropriate treatment to individuals.” The Supreme Court provides certification for the following types of special dockets: mental health courts, drug courts, OVI/DUI courts, drug-domestic violence courts, drug-re-entry courts, veterans courts, and family dependency treatment courts.

The court staff and local drug treatment providers in that gathering spoke honestly about and advocated passionately for the people they are serving through the drug court program operated by Judge Teresa L. Ballinger.

The judge started the specialized docket programs after an encounter with a man suffering from mental health and substance abuse issues appeared in her court after a run-in with local law enforcement. It came to light that the man had not received his medicine or treatment for some time and suffered a breakdown that resulted in his negative encounter with law enforcement.

"At that time I didn't know a lot of about mental health issues, but when the situation was explained to me and how it happened, I determined that the court needed to do something to help that individual," Ballinger said. "It wasn't his intent not to get his medicine. Something in the system prevented him from getting it. That's when I started the docket.

"I thought maybe if we oversee some of this we could get the community on board and it worked. He got back on his meds and was a perfectly polite gentleman, so I saw the success of the dockets and how they worked with that man."

Court statistics show that about 49% of drug court participants have successfully completed the program and returned to the community to live productive lives. While that figure might seem low to those outside of the program, Ballinger said helping people return to a normal life has a positive effect on the circle of people around them.

"Knowing that 49% of our people are getting back out into the community, they're successful, they're healthy, and now their children are in a better place," she said. "We count the number of children that we're affecting through their parents and at one point, between the drug courts that (are operating in Marion County), more than 200 children had been reconnected with their parents who came through the programs. "

James Boleyn, special dockets director for Marion Municipal Court, said breaking the chain of addiction that tends to be generational in many families helps to restore family units.

"If you look at the value to a community that a special docket provides, one, it's trying to interrupt that cycle (of addiction)," said Boleyn, who managed mental health and developmental disability group homes in the Chicago area prior to moving to Marion in 2011. "In Marion, we've got so many people working so hard in so many different aspects to improve this community. We're pouring money into it. We're creating businesses.

"We absolutely have to make sure we do not leave these at-risk populations (those living in poverty or struggling with addiction and mental health issues) behind. Marion will not grow, it will not progress if, it ignores the needs of those populations."

Ballinger's team evaluates drug court participants on a regular basis, keeping track of their treatment and staying in contact with the individuals to see how they're progressing. One recent session of drug court displayed examples of the victories and struggles that participants experience as they make the journey toward escaping addiction.

On the down side, one young man in the program entered Ballinger's courtroom in a jail jumpsuit and handcuffs, under arrest and headed to jail after he had relapsed and violated terms of his probation and program rules.

A young woman who had relapsed reached out to her probation officer ahead of her appearance that morning in drug court. She was referred to a residential treatment program for a period of time to help her get back on the right track.

Two other young men received rewards from the judge for staying the course, continuing their treatment, and obeying the rules of the program.

One young woman who had successfully completed the program reported to Ballinger that she was gainfully employed and wished to move on with her life. After reviewing the woman's file, the judge granted her release from the drug court program.

"Those of us that handle specialized dockets, we're caught between two ideas, theories, or important statements," Ballinger said. "Addiction is a disease and addiction is against the law. So when we work with people through specialized dockets, we walk a fine line. We know that they've broken the law, but we know that they're addicted to a terrible drug and we want to support them. That's why we work hard in these specialized dockets. We work very hard to supply these individuals with resources. Resources help them turn their life around."

The drug court is one of three specialized dockets Marion Municipal Court operates. The other two are the Wellness Intervention Court (WIN) that is, according to the court's website, "for offenders diagnosed with a severe and persistent mental illness. WIN Court connects these offenders with effective, evidence-based treatment and case management to assist in improving their illness management skills. These connections aid the participants in developing accountability, enhancing their ability to lead a stable life, and reducing their criminal behavior."

The other specialized docket is the Veterans Treatment Court designed "for offenders who are also veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces. The court is committed to addressing the unique mental health- and substance abuse-related needs of the participants by providing an intensive treatment program that helps establish access to a range of services available within the community. The goal is to promote self-sufficiency, to reduce recidivism, to enhance public safety and to provide an alternative to incarceration."

For more information about Marion Municipal Court, go to its website www.marionmunicipalcourt.org.

Email: ecarter@gannett.com | Twitter: @AndrewACCarter

This article originally appeared on Marion Star: Marion drug court aims to save lives, help people return to community