At professional conference
The Platte County Drug Treatment Court was recognized for five years of service to the citizens of Platte County last month at the Missouri Association of Treatment Court Professionals Annual Conference. Quint Shafer, Platte County Associate Circuit Court Judge, presides over the Drug Treatment Court. The court is managed by Treatment Court Administrator, Elysia Collins.
Judge Shafer said: “This is an intensely supervised program that lasts a minimum of one year. Over the last five years this court has positively impacted the lives of participants and their families and it has helped make Platte County a safer place to live.”
The Platte County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office helped establish the court and serves as the initial gatekeeper for all participants. Other members of the treatment team include Tri-County Mental Health Services, the Missouri Department of Probation and Parole, Midwest ADP, the Platte County Sheriff’s Department, criminal defense attorney Robert Black, Park University Professor Greg Plumb, and the Platte County Clerk’s Office.
Platte County Prosecuting Attorney Eric Zahnd said, “I’m as proud of our efforts to help people with substance abuse issues as I am of our track record of seeking long prison terms in violent and sex cases. There are bad people in the world who must be sent to prison; there are many more good people who simply need help with addiction issues. We’re fortunate to have assistant prosecuting attorney Amy Ashelford leading our office’s treatment court and diversion initiatives, and she’s now recognized at the national level as a leader in treatment court programming.”
Drug courts represent the combined efforts of justice and treatment professionals to actively intervene and break the cycle of substance abuse, addiction, and crime. In this blending of justice, treatment, and social service systems, the drug court participant undergoes an intensive regimen of substance use treatment, case management, drug testing, supervision and monitoring, and immediate sanctions and incentives while reporting to regularly scheduled status hearings before a judge.
In addition, drug courts increase the probability of participants’ success by providing ancillary services such as mental health treatment, trauma and family therapy, and job skills training.