Schuylkill officials are hoping the second try will succeed in getting a $400,000 boost for the county's new drug court.

County commissioners on Wednesday approved the Adult Probation Department's request to apply for the grant through the U.S. Department of Justice.The county would be required to contribute a 25 percent, or $100,000, match.That match would be in the form of in-kind services, said Commissioners' Chairman George F. Halcovage Jr.Deputy Chief Probation Officer Neil Stefanisko said his department submitted an application last year, but was turned down."The drug court officially began on Jan. 5 and has five offenders on board."We probably have another 10 applications pending," Stefanisko said.Offenders who want to participate in drug court require careful screening to ensure they are motivated and able to successfully complete the intensive program."The grant is an implementation grant which will allow us to hire people specifically for the court," Stefanisko said. "What we're looking to do is hire a full-time probation officer who is completely designated to the drug court.Then, all of the other positions - the assistant district attorneys, the Public Defender's Office, and the drug and alcohol coordinator would all be part-time positions, but would be specifically for the drug court itself," Stefanisko said.Now, those involved are all county staff. The drug treatment court team consists of Goodman; District Judge Christina E. Hale of Frackville; District Attorney Christine A. Holman; Chief Public Defender Michael Stine; Treatment Court Coordinator Lynn Holden; Supervising Probation Officer Rebecca Bracey; case manager Zane Moran; deputy Sheriff Brian Tobin; evaluator/researcher Stefanisko; Chief Probation Officer Joseph Szeliga, and drug and alcohol Administrator Melissa Kalyan.The dedicated staff would get qualifying defendants from the district court level to the drug court in less time."That would get the defendants into treatment quicker, which is one of the goals the drug court is looking for."The amount of time it takes from the time they are arrested to the time you get them into treatment is critical to having someone succeed in drug court," he said.They are aiming to reduce the time it takes to go from arrest to court to 50 days from the typical eight months, he said.The grants are available every few years, he said. The county can also upgrade its services or apply for new finding."We will continue to apply for any of those grants we're eligible for," Stefanisko said.Last year, the county received a $100,000 state grant for the drug court.Aside from grants, the drug court, over which Judge James P. Goodman presides, is paid for by the county.Goodman has said that 70 to 80 percent of offenders are addicted to drugs.Stefanisko said getting offenders into treatment will reduce the chances they will commit other crimes, saving the county money in the long run.