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To: Members of the Board <br />of County Commissioners <br />Date: <br />October 9, 2002 <br />Subject: FUNDING FOR INDIGENT DEFENDANTS FOR SUBSTANCE ABUSE <br />EVALUATIONS FOR DRUG COURT FROM DRUG ABUSE TRUST <br />FUND <br />From: Kenneth R Macht <br />Commissioner <br />Description and Condition <br />Recently I received a request from Cathy Buzzolani, Drug Court Program Director Nineteenth <br />Judicial Circuit, requesting Indian River County consider providing $2,000 from the Drug Abuse <br />Trust Fund to assist indigent defendants. The money will be used to pay for the initial substance <br />abuse evaluation ($45.00) and early treatment expenses, if necessary. As a condition of Drug <br />Court everyone must be employed within 90 days after entering into the Program (unless they <br />are disabled). The defendant will then pay back the Fund through the Probation Office, on a <br />scheduled payment plan. These payments are then redeposited back into Indian River County's <br />Drug Abuse Trust Fund via the Clerk of Court Colette Heid, Substance Abuse Council's (SAC) <br />Executive Director will monitor the administration of these expenditures on a monthly basis in <br />conjunction with Cathy Buzzolani. The County will incur no additional expense from Substance <br />Abuse for these services <br />Additional information is attached to further explain the program. <br />Recommendation <br />Recommend that funding for the Drug Court be provided by Drug Abuse Trust Fund Balance. A <br />revolving fund of $2,000 will be set up for the purpose of paying the cost of initial substance <br />abuse evaluations ($45.00) and early treatment expenses, if necessary. The defendants will then <br />be required to pay the fund back. As defendants pay funds back, they may be used for new <br />defendants in Drug Court. Through this system, the original $2,000 set aside will be the only <br />contribution required of the County. <br />Attachments <br />ON MOTION by Commissioner Adams, SECONDED BY <br />Commissioner Ginn, the Board unanimously (4-0, Chairman <br />Stanbridge absent) approved the funding for the Drug Court be <br />provided by the Drug Abuse Trust Fund Balance, as fully set <br />out and recommended in the above memorandum. <br />October 15, 2002 <br />20 <br />rr <br />