LAKE COUNTY, Fla. – Lake County’s Opioid Task Force is hoping county commissioners will consider its idea to start a drug court.
According to the public defender, Lake County is the only county in the Fifth Judicial Circuit that does do not have a drug court.
County commissioners heard the presentation over establishing a drug court in Lake County during its Tuesday meeting.
Public Defender, Mike Graves, said a drug court has been needed for a while in Lake County.
“Lake County is by far the largest populated county by population, not to have a drug court in Florida,” Graves said. “We, like other counties and the Fifth Judicial Circuit, other counties throughout Florida, were victimized every day by the plague that is drug and opioid addiction.”
Graves said they’ve seen success in the counties where they do have it.
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“We’ve seen recidivist rates drop, we’ve seen individuals that have become committed to sobriety, we get folks that come back to us and report to us on their successes,” Graves said.
Graves said drug court would be available to non-violent offenders who suffer from addiction.
“This is the best, often last opportunity they have to get out of the revolving door of the criminal justice system, which is abuse, incarceration, release, abuse, incarceration, and then sadly, all too often death,” Graves said.
He said a key component to drug court is accountability.
“This this isn’t something that you get into to avoid,” Graves said. “You know, this is something you get into to achieve just to save your own life. But failure to do so, there’s accountability. It’s still a court.”
According to the presentation from Tuesday’s county commission meeting, the drug court is designed for those with an underlying problem involving substance abuse or opioid use disorder. It brings together the authority of the court, treatment services and required accountability.
Some of the required accountability may include frequent and random drug testing, treatment appointments, and compliance with court and program requirements.
The presentation also included recommendations for funding for the first year of drug court should it get approved. The Opioid Task Force recommended the first year of funding come from opioid settlement funds which come out to around $415,550.
Additionally, the opioid task force recommends part-time equivalent attorney positions for the Office of the State Attorney and Office of the Public Defender totaling $40,000.
“When you’re looking at the quality of life, when you’re talking about ‘We care about the people of Lake County,’ I don’t know how we can look ourselves in the mirror and suggest we’re honest about that unless we make these efforts like drug court.”
Executive Director of Hand in Hand Recovery in Eustis, David Douglas, supports the idea of a drug court in Lake County.
“It has somebody that holds them accountable and keeps up with them on their journey of recovery,” Douglas said. “Plus, it’s going to offer all of the resources in one place for that person who wants recovery.”
Douglas said in addition to resources and accountability, it would also help build community for participants.
“You’re not the only person in drug court,” Douglas said. “You’re going to see other people sitting in that courtroom that are going through the same things that you are.”
The County Commission did not vote one way or the other to move forward with a drug court in Lake County. Graves said they will be going back to the commission with a more detailed budget and hopes to have a drug court up and running by October.