Gathering on a hot and steamy Saturday in late May, more than two dozen volunteers from the St Johns County Drug Court Program fanned out across St. Augustine to help bring much-needed services to three elderly or home-bound families. St. Johns Housing Partnership coordinated the efforts, which resulted in building two wheelchair ramps and painting the exterior of one home.
The Drug Court Program serves nonviolent offenders with documented histories of substance abuse. Through an extensive treatment and supervision regimen, the program requires offenders to acknowledge their substance abuse problems and then provides them with the tools and mechanisms to deal with their addictions.
Part of the regimen is giving back to the community, said Lance McClure, a participant in the program. “Its design is to show us all how to live our lives without drugs or alcohol,” McClure said, adding that one of the best parts about volunteering with SJHP is the sense of accomplishment.
“When the day is over, we can see what we have done. The finished product at the end of the day is a wheelchair ramp we helped build.”
SJHP executive director Bill Lazar said he was thrilled to have these volunteers’ help.
“They did an amazing job on the ramps and house painting. We are proud to be a part of program that promotes community involvement and healthy and productive living.”
The Drug Court program uses a team approach to serve its participants. Team members include judge, prosecutor, defense attorneys, treatment specialists, supervision officers, law enforcement agencies, corrections officials, and others.
Once an offender successfully completes this intensive program, the Court may dismiss the charge, reduce the sentence, or offer a combination of other incentives. For McClure, it’s not just incentives.
“We are all very lucky to have this program; this is our second chance; there is no third chance,” McClure said. “This is our chance to lead productive and sober lives.”
