Circuit Judge Lon Arend, presiding judge of Comprehensive Treatment Court, is pictured with the 10 CTC participants who recently completed all program requirements and earning the dismissal of their charges. Image provided by Christy Owen
Congratulations, CTC graduates!
The Comprehensive Treatment Court (CTC) in Manatee County recently held a graduation for 10 participants.
CTC is a problem-solving court program that falls under the Twelfth Judicial Circuit’s Mental Health Court. It is designed for people who are charged with a qualifying offense and suffer from a serious mental illness which likely led to the criminal charge and an inability to meet their basic needs or participate in outpatient treatment due to homelessness, untreated mental illness, or transportation. The CTC staff provide support to the clients and develop a full discharge plan by collaborating with other community partners. The completion of CTC results in a dismissal of the charge(s).
Judicial accountability combined with therapy, substance-abuse treatment and random drug testing, and community support services provides individuals an opportunity to improve their quality of life and transition to a long-term plan for mental health wellness and stability, while also improving public safety, reducing recidivism and decreasing the amount of incarceration.
Cristy Owen is the licensed clinical supervisor at Centerstone, the agency that oversees the mental health services provided to CTC participants. As a mental health professional Owen said programs like CTC are unique and vital because they offer people the chance to be seen and supported rather than simply punished.
“Many individuals who enter the justice system struggle with untreated mental health conditions, trauma and a lack of access to care. [CTC] creates a bridge between accountability and compassion, allowing participants to receive treatment along with structure to heal and rebuild their lives. I’ve witnessed how addressing the underlying mental health needs, not just the behavior, can lead to real, lasting change. The support and encouragement we bring is life changing. I’ve heard many clients ask ‘why would you do this for me?’ and comment ‘I’ve never had any one believe in me before’. It’s about much more than reducing recidivism, we promote stability and sustainable improved quality of life. Mental health courts give people hope, restore dignity, and strengthen communities through recovery and support rather than incarceration. It’s a humane approach to public safety addressing the root of the behavior offering long-term community wellness.
Restoring Lives
As an example of the hope and transition opportunities offered by Comprehensive Treatment Court, Owen offered the stories of Lilly and Jill.
“Lilly” entered the CTC courtroom last February as an inmate, a transfer from our county drug court program. She looked defeated, emaciated and unmotivated. Our program was a “last stop” effort for her to get on track with sobriety. Staff agreed she would likely end up overdosing without drastic intervention. CTC staff went into action, meeting with Lilly in the jail to assure she had a say in her treatment plan. She was released to a sober living home and staff met with her daily for support. CTC arranged MAT services within hours of her jail release, something we feel played a critical part in her sobriety. She was soon able to secure a job as a restaurant server and attended AA/NA meetings nightly. Months later, she remains sober and has added a job at Goodwill along with waitressing. She is looking into taking classes at our local community college and hopes to become a peer support. She engages with staff regularly and feels drawn to help others in the community who recognize her transformation. We will continue to support “Lilly” for a few more months as she transitions to independence, helping her secure community resources for ongoing support.
“Jill” came into the CTC program as a final effort by the court to offer this client assistance after an unsuccessful discharge from Drug Court. She had been living homeless, a daily IV Fentanyl user, with ongoing mental health issues interfering with her ability to fight addiction effectively. She was considering entering a year-long residential treatment program out of state. CTC stepped in and offered wrap around support working together with the client, allowing her to have a sense of control over her choices. She was moved into recovery housing, received psychiatric care and medication management, therapy, case management, and peer support. She has been maintaining sobriety, reduced mental health symptomology, gained employment and has been paying her own rent for two months now. This is the experience in her own words:
As I begin to write my ‘success story,’ I have come to the understanding that this will be a never-ending ‘success story.’ But before I can start on the successful part of my life, you have to know where I came from. I was stuck in the cycle of addiction for five years, living on the streets, and that short amount of time quickly spiraled out of control until it hit my lowest. But with the help of the CTC program, I was finally able to regain all control of my life that I had lost. I now spend my days looking forward to helping others. Through this program, I have got the chance to learn so many keys and tools and doors that I once never had. Now, from my experience, I get to help others through what I have learned. I’m finally at peace and feel as if my life has purpose! I will never forget where I came from and will be forever grateful where I am now! I truly couldn’t have done it without everyone involved—every single one of you, what you do for humanity in a sense, restoring lives — broken people just like me — when given the tools we really can change and play our own part in helping, no matter what we’ve been through.
Learn more about CTC and other treatment court programs on the Court’s Problem-Solving Court Division page.
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