Carbon County residents feel that an answer to a growing drug epidemic plaguing the region is a county drug court.

Christopher Sorrentino, case management supervisor for Carbon-Monroe-Pike Drug and Alcohol Commission, who has seen addiction firsthand with his clients, said that drug courts, which have been in the court system nationwide for over two decades, is now seeing a renewed push as a direct result of the growing drug epidemic gripping the nation.But will this specialty court work to reduce the number of Carbon County offenders moving through the court system and sitting in the prison?Cindy Henning of Carbon County Concerned Citizens thinks so.She has been leading a charge to petition the courts to start a drug court in Carbon.She said drug courts would help people with addictions get the help they need instead of those who make bad decisions ending up in a jail cell, costing the county $63 a day. Sitting in jail doesn't give them the treatment they need to turn their lives around.Judge weighs inCarbon County Judge Joseph Matika, who has sat on the bench for the past four-and-a-half years and before that served in the district attorney's office for 18 years, believes that drug courts will help resolve three issues plaguing the county - court caseload increases, overcrowding in the prison and repeat offenders.Drug court is different from the normal court system in that it deals solely with offenders who have addiction problems and is an alternative to incarceration. It provides intensive treatment and close supervision to help the person overcome the addiction that landed them in the court system in the first place."I have seen the progression of how opiates are affecting the criminal justice system along with other drugs and alcohol," he told three dozen agencies, nonprofit groups and concerned citizens during a recent meeting of the Carbon County Opiate Task Force. "Even before I took the bench, with the district attorney's office I saw a need for drug courts in Carbon County."Over the last year alone, Carbon County's criminal caseload in the four district magistrate offices has increased by 46 percent and daily inmate populations at the prison hover on average around 220 with spikes around 240."We're literally busting at the seams at the prison," Matika said. "A lot of this is drug and alcohol related. I am a strong proponent of drug courts. I think it is a program that has been proven successful, not only in Pennsylvania, but across the country."Matika is so committed to the specialty court that he said he would gladly oversee its operations if it were to ever become a reality in Carbon County."Is there a need for one in Carbon County?" he asked. "In my opinion, absolutely. This is a disease and you don't put people in prison as a way to address their disease."But, he warned, drug court is not something that can happen overnight.Hurdle 1: FundingIt takes funding support by the county commissioners to create and maintain a drug court, meaning either the funds are secured through grants to begin it or through additional taxes.Currently, Carbon County is exploring the possibility of a veterans court, which is much like a drug court in that it deals only with veterans in the court system."While that will only address a certain population, if proven successful that may be the basis to go to the commissioners and say 'it worked for a small population, now sign on and agree it could work for a larger population to address not only opiate but any drug issue that comes through the court system,' " Matika said, pointing out that right now, the number of drug and alcohol cases in Carbon are a little higher than Schuylkill County, which just began working to secure funding for a drug court.Hurdle 2: ResourcesIt also takes additional staffing and collaboration between agencies who will be involved in the treatment of the participants, all of which come with a big price tag.Carbon County has a number of agencies who provide services in various areas, but overall resources are limited."Do we have the manpower if we started a drug court today? I don't think we do," he said.Drug court sees a participant on a weekly and sometimes daily basis, meaning that staff and funding to support these individuals is required.This translates to additional probation officers and court staff, as well as counselors and other treatment providers that are necessary to make something this large work properly.Joseph Guardiani, director of fund development at Blue Mountain Health System, said that he thinks that until the issue of resources is addressed to be able to provide treatment on demand to those in this program, drug court should not be the first priority."I think the first priority is finding where the holes in services are and try to back fill those holes," he said.Hurdle 3: SupportLast year, Carbon County signed a contract to provide a full-time drug and alcohol counselor in the prison, a good first step, but the need is greater than the supply."There is such a need at the prison," Matika said. "I have people coming to me saying, 'Judge, I wanted to get into this program but I am on a waiting list,' and before you know it, those people get released and they didn't even get to see the counselor.' "Last month, the Carbon County Re-entry Strategic Plan coalition unveiled its plan to help those who are leaving incarceration reintegrate back into society through housing, education, employment and other services.All good, Matika said, but still not fully addressing the head of the problem."It's unfortunate that we have the commissioners agreeing to hire more people to fight the drug epidemic but not addressing it on the back end of things," he said. "I believe drug courts work and you will see there is a success rate. It keeps people out of prison, it addresses the recidivism issue and it also saves lives."