Allen County’s Drug Court program held its 59th graduation today/on Monday, celebrating the grads’ commitment to sobriety and encouraging them on the next part of their lives.
The graduating class was made up of 24 people from various walks of life and a variety of demographics. Judge Fran Gull oversees the court and has done so for more than 20 years.
At the ceremonies, she greets graduates, but also their families, who often come up to introduce themselves and thank herfor helping their loved one.
“’Thank you for saving my daughter,’ ‘thank you for giving me my son back.’ I don’t do it, they do all the hard work," Gull said. "And it’s nice to hear families thank us for that but thank your loved one because they’re the one that finally made the decision to come back to you.”
Drug courts reduce recidivism by providing non-violent, low-level offenders access to specialized services for their addictions, combined with the structure of the court.
Graduates got to walk across the court, shaking hands with case managers and support specialists, in front of their families and support systems.
At the event, Gull announced the drug court would receive funds from Judge Robert Schmoll’s estate to support drug court participants dealing with homelessness, and assist with childcare costs. Schmoll passed away in May.
