MIDDLEBURG -- With grants slowly dwindling and eventually disappearing in the next few years for the Union and Snyder County drug and DUI court programs, officials approached the Snyder County commissioners to share success stories and their desire to see the courses continue.
"The transformation in these people ..." President Judge Harold Woelfel said, "is staggering."
"I have a great relationship with those people, and I don't want it to go away."
One participant not only got a job after graduating, but he was offered a supervisory position at his workplace shortly after he began.
Another -- a woman -- saved $2,000 in tips from her job to give to her family when a health crisis struck.
The stories, said drug court coordinator Scott Kerstetter, are "not for drama's sake. It's the reality of what it is."
For some people, results are a little lower key, and success means just getting a job to pay bills.
But all successes are beneficial to the counties, Kerstetter said, if that means program participants are not getting re-arrested and are not driving while under the influence.
In addition, Kerstetter said, people in the community have become more willing to be involved in offenders' rehabilitation. Valley professionals are providing credit counseling, smoking cessation assistance and help in preparing applications and teaching interviewing skills.
"You can't measure the cost savings by pulling a human being out of the culture they've been in," added Judge Michael Sholley, "and making them productive citizens."
So far, the drug court has been run solely on grants.
In 2011, however, grants will cover only half of the costs.
Snyder County Commissioner Joe Kantz said he was aware that when the drug court began when he first took office in 2008, it was made clear that the grants in place would cover all costs for the first three years.
The worst-case scenario would require the county to pay $61,000 to keep the program going, which includes paying for testing and monitoring devices.
If that money is paid back over time by the offenders, which was the original plan, Woelfel said the best-case scenario is for the commissioners to come up with $37,000 for the rest of the program expenses for the year.
"I think in a way it does pay for itself," said Kantz, referring to the restitution and fines that are paid by offenders. Eventually, he said, those fees should cover the bracelets that are worn by offenders in the program, at a cost of $11 per day. He also is hoping for more grants.
Final evaluation for the drug court program will be completed Dec. 15, Kerstetter said.
According to Woelfel, officials of a mandatory court evaluation program have studied the counties' program, and officials are looking to use it as a model because success numbers are that good.
Since it began in July 2008, the drug court in Snyder and Union counties has accepted 28 participants. Eight have graduated, 14 are active and five are pending. Two drug-free babies have been born, one participant earned a GED and 10 are now employed.
In addition, participants have combined for 4,200 hours of community service.
There has been an 86 percent compliance in the program, which focuses on those offenders who present the highest risk to the counties.
The DUI court has accepted 23 participants. There have been no graduates yet, but 21 are active, four applications are pending and one participant is pregnant. Officials are expecting to have another drug-free baby born soon.
According to Woelfel, 2,641 jail days have been saved in the eight months the DUI court has been in operation in the counties.
The DUI court has been operating on a $150,000 Pennsylvania Department of Transportation grant, which county officials plan to continue reapplying for.
Woelfel thanked the team, especially Kerstetter, for helping to bring in nearly $1 million in grants to get the programs up and running.
"I'm very proud of the court for being forward-thinking," said Commissioner Peggy Chamberlain Roup. "Your numbers speak for themselves."
n E-mail comments about this article and Snyder County news to tpursell@dailyitem.com.
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