DeKalb County Accountability Courts Receive $500,000 Grant

The DeKalb County Accountability Courts (DCAC) has been awarded $500,000 from the Bureau of Justice Assistance FY 2020 Adult Drug Court and Veterans Treatment Court Discretionary Grant Program.

The three-year grant program provides financial and technical assistance to  enhance the operations of the DeKalb County Drug Court and Veterans Treatment Court. 

The Accountability Courts will use the grant to increase participation in the its programs, expand services to current participants and graduates, as well as conduct ongoing surveys and evaluations to ensure that participants and graduates are able to maintain long-term sobriety while developing strong alumni and community support networks after graduation from the program.  

The DCAC assist nonviolent offenders in addressing the risk factors that lead to frequent and persistent incarceration, with specific programming for veterans (Veterans Treatment Court), individuals suffering from addiction (Drug Court) and the mentally ill (Felony Mental Health Court). The programs provide cognitive behavioral evidence- based treatments curricula that are designed to assist participants by monitoring their thinking while assessing their core values as well as their attitudes and belief systems.  The programs further focus on instilling accountability and developing a network of community resources and support systems after program completion.

The programs continue to look for community partners to assist with the ongoing needs of the program participants.  The participants’ needs vary as they have often gone without maintaining their physical and mental health.  While participating in treatment, as one of the numerous treatment goals is to ensure participants are managing and maintaining all aspects of their lives (spiritual, mental, and physical).  The ability to access and connect with resources within the community are necessary to support the program’s participants as they reintegrate back into mainstream society while maintaining long term sobriety.

For more information about the DeKalb County Accountability Courts programs, contact Fredericka Dent at  fsdent@dekalbcountyga.gov or Connie Morris at cfmorris@dekalbcountyga.gov or visit www.dekalbsuperiorcourt.com/drug-court/contact-us.