Douglas County’s Adult Drug Court is a part of the many problem-solving courts (PSC) found in Nebraska. The problem-solving court concept combines appropriate judicial oversight with the behavioral healthcare regime, working in collaboration promoting personal change. Due to the nature of change, and the fact that change takes work on the part of the program participant, the judge, as well as drug court case supervisors, are present to continually and consistently provide insight, motivation and the opportunity for the participant to take the needed steps forward into change.
Douglas County was the 1st drug court in Nebraska and the 13th in the nation to open its doors as a problem-solving court. The target population is individuals that have a pending felony offense(s) in the Douglas County jurisdiction and these offenses are related to a verbalized drug or alcohol problem/lifestyle. Individuals served by Douglas County’s Drug Court must be willing to engage within a highly structured/supervised program over an estimated 18 to 24 month time frame (durations vary). The structure includes substance abuse/mental health service levels; ancillary/wrap-around services that are perceived to benefit the program member; frequent court hearings; random urine testing; case management; as well as attendance at designated inside/outside support groups/Treatment groups and meetings.
The Douglas County District Court supervises the Douglas County Adult Drug Court program. The Drug Court program office employs a coordinator, a treatment coordinator, three case managers, an administrative assistant, a bailiff, and two lab technicians. There are four District Court Judges who collectively preside over the 2x weekly drug court hearings.
For all program participants, once they have successfully completed all graduation requirements a formal graduation/commencement ceremony is held (4x yearly), recognizing the accomplishments and honoring the graduate’s hard work. At graduation, not only are the admitting charge(s) dismissed but they are also sealed (see Drug Court Coordinator for details). The following phase structure identifies the current phase/progression through which all participates proceed.
Eligibility Screening
Treatment
Phase I
Phase II
Phase III
Commencement