Six graduate from JC Drug Court

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By TRAVIS MORSE

tmorse@morningsentinel.com

MOUNT VERNON — With the right kind of help and support, it’s never too late to change your life.

On Friday, six area residents took a bold step toward a brighter future by graduating from the Jefferson County Drug Court Program. These graduates — Glenn Ford, Curtiss Hailey, Travis Kiselewski, Joshua Morrison, Cole Swan, and Stephanie Wilkinson — were recognized for their accomplishments during a special graduation ceremony Friday morning at the Jefferson County Courthouse.

The graduates were presented with a certificate and gift by Treatment Provider Kim Treadway and Drug Court Probation Officer Tara Borowiec. Four of the graduates were there in person while Ford and Swan addressed the audience via Zoom.

“I have gotten so much in life from you guys,” Ford said. “You have changed my total life, they have changed my life period. My life has really changed so much, man. It makes a grown man want to cry. … I hope that everybody that’s in Drug Court, I pray and hope they get what I got out of Drug Court. Drug Court has given me everything that I needed in life.”

Drug Court is a specialized program that provides an alternative to traditional punishment for criminal offenders who have substance use disorders, online sources state. Local officials say that it is a “proven, cost-effective” alternative to incarceration that still holds offenders accountable. Jefferson County’s program was started in 2013, and it has an 83% success rate, Sentinel archives state.

Friday’s ceremony featured stirring and emotional speeches from not only the graduates themselves but also from Resident Circuit Judge and Drug Court Judge Jo Beth Weber, Jessica Ridgeway of Take Action Today, and various members of the Drug Court Team.

In addition, the audience was shown a moving, inspirational video that illustrated just how much these graduates have changed their lives by putting drugs and alcohol behind them.

“Nobody said this was going to be easy, and it’s not, and it’s not perfect now that I’m graduated, but it’s working,” Hailey said. “Sometimes taking back control of your life looks like putting it in the hands of other people, even if it’s momentarily.”

Kiselewski characterized Drug Court as the best thing that ever happened to him and said that it made a “huge transformation” in his life. For many years, he tried to get sober on his own but was not successful. The Drug Court Program, however, has worked wonders, he said.

“Today’s a very big day for me,” Kiselewski said, adding that he has been getting high for some 27 years. “I’ve been walking in this courtroom for many years, and this is the first time I’ve walked in this courtroom not feeling like I’m going to jail. It feels good to be sober. I’ve got a lot going for my life. It all started the day they accepted me in Drug Court. I couldn’t do this on my own.”

For Morrison, his journey through Drug Court was quite arduous and he had a number of relapses and setbacks before he was able to make it through. In the end, though, the experience has been life-changing, Morrison said.

“I’m just very grateful,” Morrison said. “Like you can say, ‘yeah I’m an alcoholic or I’m a drug addict’ and still not really know. Drug Court helped me to know and I’m grateful for that. Thank you.”

Swan also expressed gratitude to the Drug Court Team. Wilkinson couldn’t speak to the audience due to a throat-related illness, but was clearly moved by the experience of graduating from the program.

“I just want to say thank you to everybody and I really appreciate the opportunity you gave me because my life would’ve went a major different direction if I had went to prison,” Swan said.

Judge Weber addressed the graduates again at the close of Friday’s ceremony, congratulating them on making such “huge changes” in their lives.

“You guys have all proven you can do it, that it is something that you can achieve, even though it seems like it’s insurmountable in the beginning when you first get into Drug Court,” Judge Weber said.

She also praised the graduates for the kindness they have shown in helping other Drug Court participants and other recovering addicts as they fight to get better.

“I have met some of the best people that I’ve ever known in my life by being the Drug Court Judge,” Judge Weber said.

But even though Friday was a day for celebration, it was not the end of the battle by any means, Judge Weber said. Graduates have to be on their guard not to fall back into old destructive habits, and should cut people out of their lives who try to get them to do things they shouldn’t do, she said. And even though alcohol and cannabis are legal, they can start recovering addicts back down the wrong path, she warned.

Judge Webber added that she was honored to be these graduates’ Drug Court Judge.

“I’m really happy that I got to know each and every one of you,” Judge Weber said. “I look forward to seeing what you’re going to do for the next phase now, now that you’re past the final phase of Drug Court. And I look forward to seeing you in the future. So congratulations to all of you, I’m really proud of all of you.”

The Jefferson County Drug Court Team includes: Judge Weber, Assistant Public Defender Paul Antonacci, Borowiec, Drug Court Officer Sgt. Jim Hawkins, Assistant State’s Attorney Scott Quinn, and Treadway.

The Drug Court Coalition of Jefferson County consists of: Borowiec, Julie Quinn-Boles, Nelson Wood, Maggie Eubanks, Ridgeway, Debbie Holsapple, and Becky Whisenant.