Carbon County’s two specialty courts are proving that these types of courts cut down on incarceration and give the help a person needs to be successful in life.

Last week, the commissioners approved two requests to apply for funding through the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts for the drug and veterans treatment courts. The county is asking for $10,000 for drug court and $1,940 for veterans court.

The grants are used to purchase drug testing supplies and incentives for those involved in these programs.

Richmond Parsons, chief adult probation officer and one of the people who oversee the specialty courts, said that there are currently 41 individuals in the two specialty treatment court programs.

He expects that number to increase now that the pandemic is slowing.

Parsons said that about two-thirds of participants are doing really well with the program, while about a third of them struggle with their addictions.

“Early outcomes look very positive,” Parsons said. “I’m really proud of all the work that they’re doing and how far they’ve come.

There are also five people set to graduate in May.

The commissioners commended Parsons, Judge Joseph Matika and the agencies that oversee the two treatment courts for helping these people get the help they need instead of being incarcerated.

“All 41 of those would have been sitting in the correctional facility not getting the help, counseling they need to clean up their lives,” Commissioners’ Chairman Wayne Nothstein said. “Even at 60 some percent, it is a very successful program.”

Carbon County has utilized treatment courts since January 2017, when veterans treatment court began.

Two years later, the county also started its drug treatment court.