Charleston County Adult Drug Court program celebrates 25th anniversary

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) — Charleston County celebrated the 25th anniversary of its Adult Drug Court program, recognizing residents recovering from addiction who completed the Ninth Judicial Circuit Adult Drug Court.

The program has spent 25 years investing in community members beyond the courtroom. For residents in recovery, the people who helped save them may be the ones they were once afraid of.

“They used to look at law enforcement as the enemy. But when we start teaching them that you have to start taking responsibility for your behavior, your actions, and they start saying, ‘Well, you know what? They’re not so bad because we are where we are because of the choices that you made,’” Jacqueline Johnson, a treatment counselor, said.

Camille Toulouse, an Adult Drug Court alumna, said the program helped her turn her life around.

“The adult drug program changed my life, and of course, it had a ripple effect on my family and a lot of other people I’ve come in contact with,” Toulouse said.

Charleston County Judge Irv Condon said the charges were not what motivated program members to get better; it’s the people along the way.

“We keep them being productive citizens rather than in our hospitals or in our jails. It is very important that they be accountable, but it also allows them to reconnect with their family. You saw some parents here today, and they’re glad to have their daughter back,” Condon said.

Charleston County says drug courts are more effective compared to traditional prosecution for non-violent offenders.

Condon said the program is generally in five phases and takes about 18 months to complete.

The Adult Drug Court program provides rehabilitation through court supervision by working with counselors or sponsors, a series of treatments, check-ins, and helping pursue changes to get life back on track.

Johnson works one-on-one with program members and said she has seen the program create a whole new person.

“They don’t know who they are because what defined them was a substance. So, as they grow and learn about the different triggers and the different mindset, then about a year later they start saying, ‘Oh my gosh, this is what sobriety looks like.’ So, therefore, they start to love themselves even more, and they gain self-confidence,” Johnson said.

While completing the program may be a milestone, Toulouse said the work does not stop there.

“You absolutely have to continue to do the same thing that drug court has laid out for you after you graduate. So, that means still having community involvement, working in some sort of program, and attending meetings. You can’t just completely stop working on whatever program you have going on. It’s for life,” Toulouse said.

Condon said Charleston brought the idea of drug courts from Miami, where the judge who started the first drug court helped start this court.