Watch: Clients, staff and many in the legal community are worried about what will happen to a successful drug treatment program. Fletcher Kent explains.
EDMONTON – A program many addicts, social workers and lawyers herald as a huge success will soon close.
All five people working for Edmonton’s Drug Treatment and Community Restoration Court have been given layoff notices. March 31 will be their last day.
Edmonton’s drug court started more than nine years ago. Those facing drug-related charges can go through the program. They must take treatment and agree to random testing. If they graduate, they avoid jail time.
So far, roughly 300 people have gone through drug court, 90 have graduated and almost none of those has re-offended.
“Definitely there’s disappointment,” said the program’s executive director, Grace Froese.
READ MORE: ‘Court of Hope’ succeeds in cutting crime in Calgary communities
The federal government changed how it funds drug courts and the provincial government says it will re-think how it administers them. Froese says she is working with government to create a replacement program but she worries about what happens in the short-term.
“I don’t know today what’s going to happen to them after March 31. That’s my goal actually, is to make sure they get the services they need.”
The province insists it remains committed to the idea of drug courts.
“We are working with stakeholders and the Provincial Court to develop a new service delivery model that supports the principles of drug treatment courts,” said Alberta Justice in a statement.
“For this program — as with other programs and services — we have to be mindful of current provincial revenue challenges as important funding decisions are made.”
READ MORE: Addiction recovery centre hopes for boost in donations after provincial funding cut
The current model’s replacement concerns many in the legal community.
“This is a program that really works and we just don’t want to lose it,” said Shannon Prithipaul, who is the head of the Canadian Trial Lawyer’s Association.
“If that program disappears, just be prepared for an increased crime rate and just people who are going to be suffering.”
Graduates also fear losing the program. Pamela Spurvey used to sell crystal meth and crack. She graduated drug court seven years ago.
“It saved my life,” she said.
“I got my kids back. I got sober. Graduated with one-day probation. It was because of a program like this that my kids didn’t get raised by the government.”
Now, Spurvey has a new challenge. She is employed with Edmonton’s drug court and has been given her layoff notice. She said it was difficult to get that news.
Wherever she ends up, Spurvey vows to continue working with addicts because she knows better than anyone how important the work is.
Comments