By Gary Ogle
gogle@wbcowqel.com
Hundreds, perhaps thousands have marched about it. A county commissioner testified before an Ohio Senate committee about it. Countless numbers of tortured souls have died because of it and even more suffer directly and indirectly as a result of it. A pilot Drug Court in Crawford County appears to help people discover they can overcome it. It is opiate addiction.
“What’s unique about Drug Court is it’s a situation where the judge, probation and treatment providers are working closely together. It doesn’t necessarily happen in other environments,” said Rich Steele of Maryhaven. Steele has 14 years of experience in the field of addiction treatment. “That interaction that we have and the intensity of the treatment – seeing the judge every two weeks, they’re in treatment four or five days a week, they’re (seeing) probation more often – I think those are the things that have helped make Drug Court successful.”
To be fair the marches, groups like Together We Hurt Together We Heal, and County Commissioner Jenny Vermillion’s testimony in front of an Ohio Senate committee have all helped pull the curtain back that often hid an ugly problem in Crawford County, Ohio and the nation.
Crawford County became a state leader, an example, in an area it would never use as propaganda or to promote the community. This county once ranked fifth in Ohio for accidental deaths per capita due to drug overdoses.
A justice system overwhelmed with repeat drug offenders who often turned to related crimes to fund their habits, a labor pool that became polluted with people who couldn’t pass drug tests, a prison system that was going broke housing drug users, and broken homes and broken hearts of family members convinced communities like Crawford County to look past the shame and to the toll of an out-of-control addiction epidemic stemming from the use of heroin and other addictive narcotics.
The issue became one of what to do. At times it seemed like there were as many programs as addicts. The Ohio Legislature began investigating the concept of drug courts. It was even willing to squeeze the money out of a tight budget in a down economy to fund a pilot program for six counties.
Crawford County officials were quick to volunteer to be part of that program and the Drug Court here is quickly approaching its first year anniversary in session.
“This was a legislated pilot,” Steele said. “It had a line item for a specific amount of money. It has different approaches. For Crawford County, it’s a huge thing. Everybody in the state is eventually going to be looking at it.”
Case Western Reserve University is charged with researching project results to determine what is effective and where it’s effective. The pilot looks at all aspects: rural and urban communities, ages of people in treatment, use of medications like Suboxin and Vivitrol, or no medication at all.
Common Pleas Court Judge Russell Wiseman, Magistrate Rob Neff, and probation officers Mark Alspach and Dan Wurm all play an important role in the administration and function of Drug Court. The role of Steele and Maryhaven is twofold: one is to prescribe and dispense Suboxin and Vivitrol, the second is to be one of the treatment or counseling options required of those enrolled in Drug Court.
Steele explained that Suboxin is an opiate-based medication. It is often used to help those addicted to get through withdrawal and as a maintenance medication. Any euphoric effect it has is minimal and plateaued.
Vivitrol is a non-narcotic and completely blocks the patient’s receptors. Those enrolled in the Crawford County Drug Court have their choice of either drug – or none at all.
“Ideally we would like to get people as far away from narcotics as possible,” Steele said, noting that those who provide treatment would prefer to have people on Vivitrol. “That would be our first choice.”
Medication is typically provided for 12 to 24 months.
“There is no intention for anyone to be on it for a lifetime,” Steele said. “We’re replacing an illicit drug with a medication. Obviously a medication can be abused, but they’re under close supervision. The medication is not the golden ticket, it’s part of the whole package.”
Both Aslpach and Steele agree: the “whole package” is the key to the apparent success of Drug Court. Through September of this year – approximately nine months – 89 percent stayed in treatment for more than 180 days. Ninety-seven percent of those in Drug Court did not commit new offenses, drug-related or otherwise. There were more than 650 drug screens taken from participants and 94 percent of those were negative.
“Now there is structure in their lives. Now you have a structure. It’s weekly, almost daily,” Alspach said. “I call it a good way to make a living for them. It is a ‘whole’ change. You’ve got to change your whole lifestyle.”
Steele added that those involved had the opportunity, the responsibility, to deal with all of their life issues: family, employment, child support and more.
Steele describes the treatment approach as intense. Drug Court participants must do a combination of several things. They submit to random drug screens and they have to be involved in both individual and group counseling. They have to appear in Drug Court twice a month in front of Judge Wiseman. In addition, they can choose to use, or not, Suboxin or Vivitrol plus other recovery tools such as a faith-based approach or a 12-step program.
As a result, a day doesn’t go by that Drug Court participants aren’t focused and working on their sobriety.
“Daily routine,” Steele said. “This is a population that has lost their responsibility. It is important in their recovery.”
Alspach pointed out another important factor for those involved in Drug Court. “These people here in this program want to change. They’re tired of being tired of being tired of being tired of using.”
One of the other “side effects” of the program is extremely encouraging. Fifty percent of those enrolled were employed at the end of September. A significant portion of a population once viewed as unemployable is working and holding down a job.
“It’s the whole (person), it’s not just working or mental health,” Alspach said. “Some local employers have hired them. They have a purpose now. They are making money and paying bills.”
Steele sees it as something else. “They are dealing with stresses. A job site is not drug free. The longer treatment allows them to deal with other issues.”
Those in Drug Court weren’t the only ones who had to change or look at things from a new perspective.
As Steel pointed out, the traditional role of the criminal justice system is punishment and consequences. There is still that in Drug Court, but it is toned down.
“Drug Court is more a reinforcement of positive behavior,” Steele said. “Probation still has to be firm and have consequences, but there is a focus on people’s successes.”
“Our ‘hammer’ is not as strong,” Alspach said.
It is different for the person on the bench wearing the robes as well.
“For a judge, it’s a big change,” Steele said. “Judge Wiseman said it is different from how he would normally do court.”
Up to this point, Drug Court has only been available in Crawford County for those who have a felony conviction. The Common Pleas Court is expanding the program to include what it calls “pre-conviction” participants.
A graduation from the first set of Drug Court participants is being planned for some time in January.
Steele said if there are those who feel they have an opiate addiction problem, they may contact Maryhaven at 419-562- 1740.