A $900,000 grant from U.S. Department of Justice will fund the launch of a new adult drug court in three rural north-central Illinois counties.
"It is a program that we are bringing to increase services for these rural areas, for individuals within the court system, as another opportunity to actually receive services for substance use disorder," said Samantha McAvoy, project director for the new program.
The program is officially dubbed "Addressing Needs and Implementing Change in Rural Illinois: Adult Drug Court Serving Marshall, Putnam and Stark Counties."
Peoria and Tazewell counties already have adult drug courts established. This grant is a cooperative effort between several partners seeking to establish the new court in the other three counties of the 10th Judicial Circuit.
That includes organizations like the Marshall, Putnam, Stark County Probation District; Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts, and the Society of Growth nonprofit in Wyoming, Ill.
McAvoy, who is also CEO of the Society of Growth, said many people sentenced to probation may not have the means to easily go to counseling or put in required community service hours.
"There's all these variables specific to this drug court. That one, we don't have a lot of resources here," she said. "And two, what are we asking them to do as part of their probation? And are we making that easy for them?"
The grant from the U.S. DOJ's Bureau of Justice Assistance calls for treatment services, case management, probation supervision, incentives and sanctions, and recovery support services.
McAvoy said that means helping people with clinical needs, as well as co-occurring mental health issues. The Society of Growth has a wraparound center in Wyoming, and is planning to open a second in Henry.
She said there will be different eligibility factors considered for those who participate in the new drug court. She said the criteria are still being hashed out, but there is one key factor for participants.
"We want people to join this program based based on them wanting to do it right," she said.
McAvoy said drug court is often looked at as punishment, but it should be viewed as a resource for those with moderate to severe substance abuse disorder.
"When you look at the recidivism, the rates and the money that the county and the state level are paying for people to go back into the system and go back into jail, we're hopeful that this is another option for people to to actually get the help that they need, and to see those rates drop, as well," she said.
The grant began in October 2024 and runs through September 2028. McAvoy said the program is currently in a six-month planning phase. She hopes to hit the ground running with the first clients in April. She'd like to see at least 20 people go through the drug court program.
"This is a big change, and this is a big ask of a lot of people to be involved with this, to make this work. But yeah, this is huge," she said. "For our size of population, and for us to be able to give this to clients who need it is definitely huge."
The private Foundation for Rural Services is also awarding a $5,000 Community Service grant to the Marshall, Putnam, Stark County Probation District to purchase two smart boards and stands to help clients with probation and treatment compliance. The grant was submitted by the McNabb Telephone Company.
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