First group of drug court participants graduate

CHILLICOTHE – More than 50 people crowded into courtroom benches Monday, some stopping to offer congratulatory remarks to a few people scattered throughout the room — all anxiously awaiting the start of the special session.

Everyone was waiting for Ross County Common Pleas Judge Michael Ater to commence the first-ever graduation ceremony for those participating in the county’s drug court. Five individuals prepared to commemorate their completion of the program after 14 months of work with the court system, probation department, counseling services, and other resources.

The drug court is a treatment-centered program that aims to help people who have committed nonviolent, low-level felony crimes with a look into why the crime was committed. It’s designed to cut down on repeat offenders and save jail space.

After a year of court supervision and treatment — including taking more than 300 drug tests and attending over 600 counseling sessions — Ater said this group is ready to start the next phase in their lives.

“They’re good people who found themselves in a bad situation. ... They needed help,” Ater said.

One by one, each graduate was called up in front of the crowd gathered Monday and handed certificates of completion, a hug, and then sat with their attorney in front of Ater’s bench.

With the successful completion of the program, the charges that made them eligible for participation in drug court were dropped. Many graduates had no comment, but a couple stopped to thank the judge for the opportunity to participate in the program.

Christina May was one of five graduates who was willing to give a statement in the open courtroom.

“With me, my biggest thing was I was willing and ready to change,” May said to the court. “It’s weird that, 14 months ago, I was sitting across the alley in jail.”

Ater started the drug court 14 months ago, fulfilling a campaign issue he brought up in 2010 and funded through grant money and community partnerships in 2014.

Though he admits the process has been approached with “learn as we go” mentality, he is proud of the work and results he has seen in participants so far. In this round of graduates, only one sanction was given out in the entire 14-month process.

Participants in the program agree to rules such as abstaining from drugs and alcohol, submitting to random drug testing, getting or maintaining a job, and attending appointments with treatment providers.

Ater plans to graduate about five people from drug court roughly every three months, with a goal of expanding the program to 60 participants, instead of the about 40 currently enrolled. He said there is a possibility the program could grow even larger if the need is there.

“This is the most rewarding part of my job,” Ater said.

Coming Sunday

We’ll have more on the drug court and one of its graduates in Sunday’s Gazette.