They are known as specialty courts, and they are changing lives with the work they are doing.
The Lima Municipal Court includes a drug treatment and veterans treatment court program. The drug court was started in 2015 with the veteran’s court beginning in 2020. Both are voluntary programs that serve as an alternative to incarceration. The programs essentially build teams around the individual to help them succeed letting them know they are not alone in the process
Drug Court Probation Officer Goia Coleman adds, “They know that they have access to the treatment they need. They have access to peer supporters and mentors. They have regular meetings with the judges and the rest of the team. So, I think the difference is they know that they’re not doing it on their own.”
Magistrate John Payne directs the veteran's court and shares, “Many of the veterans had challenges working through the V.A. system and there are so many different entities that sometimes it’s confusing. And they get trapped and then they get frustrated and then they check out. By having someone directly with the V.A. working with us that gets through a lot of these obstacles and roadblocks they encounter and we’re thankful for that.”
Both say they are seeing success in their programs with several individuals completing the program each year beating their obstacles and doing well.
