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CHAMBERS OF <br />NICOLE P.MENZ <br />COUNTYJUDGE <br />June 9, 2021 <br />717 <br />2000 16T'AVENUE <br />SUITE 263 <br />VERO BEACH, FL 32960 <br />PHONE: (772) 77C-5072 <br />FAX (772)770-5477 <br />ircjudge@circuftl9.org <br />RE: Award of the 2021/2022 Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Treatment Fund and <br />Designation of Indian River County's Problem Solving Courts as a Chosen Program <br />Recipient <br />Backaround: Section 893.165, Florida Statutes, allows the Indian River County Board of County <br />Commissioners to create the Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Trust Fund and disburse its funds in <br />the form of assistance grants on an annual basis to alcohol and drug abuse treatment or <br />education programs. The Indian River County Board of County Commissioners established the <br />Indian River County Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Trust Fund in section 305.07 of the Indian <br />River County Code of Ordinances. Funds are derived from court assessments on drug offenses. <br />The total amount in the trust fund as of June 7, 2021 is $315,369.00, and the fund accrues <br />approximately $30,000 annually. From October 1, 2020 through June 7, 2021, the fund received <br />approximately $31,000.00 in revenue; however, $0.00 has been spent in drug testing and <br />treatment fees for this fiscal year. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, drug testing sites and <br />treatment programs were closed for a significant part of the past funding year. <br />History of Programs: Indian River County's Drug Court currently has 29 participants and has <br />graduated 461 since May 2002. The Mental Health Court has 93 participants with 160 graduating <br />since the program began in January 2015. The Veterans Treatment Court currently has 16 <br />participants and has graduated 50 since September 2013. The court programs have <br />expeditiously and efficiently moved people from jail into treatment programs without <br />compromising public safety. They identify and focus upon defendants with substance use <br />disorders and direct them to appropriate treatment. Drug addiction requires random and frequent <br />drug testing to serve as a true deterrent, which can be costly to many, although the frequency <br />decreases once they are involved in treatment and have established a support system. Many <br />graduates have admitted that drug testing was the biggest deterrent to relapse. <br />Substance Abuse Testing and Treatment. Many indigent defendants are unable to participate <br />in the Problem Solving Courts due to the considerable cost of substance abuse testing and <br />treatment. All of the court programs require that participant's drug test frequently at the Substance <br />Awareness Center, and participants are randomly drug/alcohol tested at least twice per week. <br />The cost of drug testing is $35 per week or approximately $1,820.00 per year per participant. <br />Drug treatment ranges from $50 per week for outpatients to $12,000 for an inpatient treatment <br />program. Once awarded, Drug Abuse Trust Fund monies would be used to help offset the cost <br />69 <br />