Drug Court is a diversion program designed for juveniles who have been placed on either Option 4 or Option 5 for substance abuse treatment following a substance abuse evaluation. Drug Court is a nine month program which includes intensive outpatient drug and alcohol counseling along with diversion requirements such as curfew, random drug screens, regular court appearances, community service, etc.

To be eligible for the Drug Court diversion program, the juvenile must be a first time offender, live in Johnson County, and meet all diversion requirements. When the youth completes the program successfully, their record will indicate that the charges were dismissed.

How often does the youth meet with their Court Service Officer (CSO)?

In the Drug Court program, the youth will ideally have contact with his/her CSO weekly. These contacts may be in court, at the Court Services office, at the youth’s home or school, or phone conversations. Throughout the diversion, the youth will work through three phases. During the first phase, the meetings and court appearances may be more frequent. Contact between the CSO and youth will decrease as the youth successfully completes each phase.

What happens if the youth does not comply with the diversion conditions?

Depending on the severity of their actions, the youth will receive sanctions for their behavior. For example, the youth may receive additional community service or referred to education groups for minor violations. For larger violations, they may have their diversion revoked.

How often does each youth have to go to court while in the Drug Court program?

At the beginning of the program, the youth will attend court at least once every other month. As they progress through the program and demonstrate positive behavior, these appearance may become less frequent.

If you have any questions, you can e-mail the Drug Court CSO Dawn Huddleston.