YWCA Tribute to Women

YWCA honored one of Reconnecting Families own...

YWCA Hosted 26TH Annual
Tribute to Women of Achievement
on March 25th, 2011!

 

The YWCA of Northwest Georgia honored 15 local women who continuously demonstrate outstanding leadership in their personal and professional endeavors. The women being honored this year are leaders in the business, not-for-profit and volunteer arenas and join the prestigious list of nearly 400 women honorees who have been recognized for their leadership.


Our very own, Peggy Snider Houghton, was honored as a member of these 15 amazing women.  Peggy joined RF back in 2007.  Peggy had witnessed, first hand, the good works of the Juvenile Treatment Court.  Peggy's own son, Ryan Snider,  had graduated as a success.  Seeing the value of accountability courts and Reconnecting Families, Peggy began to offer volunteer services.  Peggy was able to negotiate and see that her company donate the closet we proudly call our FDTC Clothes Closet (Thanks to Closets and More read about them here!).  Peggy then went above and beyond and now acts as the RF Vice Chair of Board of Directors as well at the Chair of the Development Committee.

From Left to Right: Mea Fagiola, Peggy Snider Houghton, Judge Juanita Stedman and Ryan Snider


CONGRATS PEGGY!

Former Congressman Testifies on Behalf of Drug Courts

Former Congressman Ramstad Testifies on Behalf of Drug Courts

On Friday, March 11, former Congressman Jim Ramstad (R/MN), Senior Policy Advisor for NADCP, testified before the U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies. This is the Subcommittee that will determine the Fiscal Year (FY)’12 appropriation for the Drug Court Discretionary Grant Program at the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Former Congressman Ramstad eloquently demonstrated to the Subcommittee that Drug Courts are a proven budget solution, a public safety solution, and a solution for veterans in need.  He requested that the Subcommittee approve no less than $50 million for the Drug Court program at DOJ. In addition, he urged that the Subcommittee support $50 million for Drug Courts at DOJ as they work to finalize the FY’11 budget.

During the hearing, former Congressman Ramstad had the opportunity to introduce a Drug Court graduate from Loudoun County, Virginia, located in the district of Chairman Frank Wolf (R-VA). Members of the Subcommittee were moved by Former Congressman Ramstad’s testimony and the graduate’s story:

"It is important to remember that behind all of the statistics, all of the debate, there are people like Jonathan who have transformed their lives in Drug Court. Today he is celebrating 3 years and 38 days in recovery. Mr. Chairman, this man and thousands more like him are the returns on your investment. Real lives transformed in Drug Court into hardworking, taxpaying members of their community."
    
Former Congressman Ramstad’s superb testimony is an outstanding example of NADCP’s ongoing message to Capitol Hill. Click here to download.   

Former Congressman Jim Ramstad greets Jonathan, a graduate of Virginia's Loudoun County Drug Court. 

These are the FACTS!

From the National Association of Drug Court Proffesionals (as read here)

THE VERDICT IS IN...

In 20 years since the first Drug Court was founded, there has been more research published on the effects of Drug Courts than on virtually all other criminal justice programs combined.

The scientific community has put Drug Courts under a microscope and concluded that Drug Courts work. Better than jail or prison. Better than probation and treatment alone. Drug Courts significantly reduce drug use and crime and are more cost-effective than any other proven criminal justice strategy.


+ Drug Courts Reduce Crime

• FACT: Nationwide, 75% of Drug Court graduates remain arrest-free at least two years after leaving the program.
• FACT: Rigorous studies examining long-term outcomes of individual Drug Courts have found that reductions in crime last at least 3 years and can endure for over 14 years.
• FACT: The most rigorous and conservative scientific “meta-analyses” have all concluded that Drug Courts significantly reduce crime as much as 35 percent more than other sentencing options.

+ Drug Courts Save Money

• FACT: Nationwide, for every $1.00 invested in Drug Court, taxpayers save as much as $3.36 in avoided criminal justice costs alone.
• FACT: When considering other cost offsets such as savings from reduced victimization and healthcare service utilization, studies have shown benefits range up to $12 for every $1 invested.
• FACT: Drug Courts produce cost savings ranging from $4,000 to $12,000 per client. These cost savings reflect reduced prison costs, reduced revolving-door arrests and trials, and reduced victimization.
• FACT: In 2007, for every Federal dollar invested in Drug Court, $9.00 was leveraged in state funding.

+ Drug Courts Ensure Compliance

• FACT: Unless substance abusing/addicted offenders are regularly supervised by a judge and held accountable, 70% drop out of treatment prematurely.
• FACT: Drug Courts provide more comprehensive and closer supervision than other community-based supervision programs.
• FACT: Drug Courts are six times more likely to keep offenders in treatment long enough for them to get better.

+ Drug Courts Combat meth addiction

• FACT: For methamphetamine-addicted people, Drug Courts increase treatment program graduation rates by nearly 80%.
• FACT: When compared to eight other programs, Drug Courts quadrupled the length of abstinence from methamphetamine.
• FACT: Drug Courts reduce methamphetamine use by more than 50% compared to outpatient treatment alone.

+ Drug Courts Restore Families

• FACT: Parents in Family Drug Court are more likely to go to treatment and complete it.
• FACT: Children of Family Drug Court participants spend significantly less time in out-of-home placements such as foster care.
• FACT: Family re-unification rates are 50% higher for Family Drug Court participants.

Do You Believe in Magic?

Howie the GREAT

Celebrating Families is one of the amazing programs offered through Reconnecting Families, Inc and the Family Dependency Treatment Court. This blog first detailed Celebrating Families:

 HERE (READ ABOUT CELEBRATING FAMILIES)

On Thursday March 3rd, 2011, at a session of this program, the mothers in treatment earned basic skills to bring their families together.  While the families worked together, the youngest children were entertained by a great gift!  The Marietta Kiwanis Club donated the time and services of Howie the Great!  Howie wowed the young audiences with his magic and talents.

Howie's website is: http://www.howie@howiethegreat.com/, in case you are looking for a great birthday party surprise. 

BIG thanks to Marietta Kiwanis!!

And the Greatest Gift is Charity

Charity comes in many forms...

Help Reconnecting Families, Inc win $1000! 

Go to this Facebook Page:

http://www.facebook.com/FireSideGas?sk=app_10442206389#!/FireSideGas?sk=app_126231547426086

Choose the CHARITY POLL tab and vote!!!

STAR TECH

Charity comes to Reconnecting Families, Inc in many forms.  We have generous friends who donate time, money, clothes, employment and even computer skills!  One of the great friends of RF came to us through the Kiwanis Club of Cobb County.  Shelby Roberts is a co-founder of a great company called Star-Tech.  Shelby heard about RF during a lunch for the Kiwanis Club and knew his company had tools that could help bring RF up to date technologically!  Since the fall, Shelby has helped Reconnecting Families organize a database, host the website, and offered a shared calendering system that the court and RF can use to help streamline dates!  These advances have made a huge impact and helped organize us into the new millenium.  If you are in need of similar services for your business, check out their website HERE .

Thanks to Shelby and the great folks at STAR TECH!

New Beginnings...

Our Community Offers New Beginnings

So very much of the success of Reconnecting Families, Inc. is attributed to the outreach from the Cobb County community.  Residents of Cobb have huge hearts and feel ,while witnessing, the value of a successful drug court in their lives and in their taxes.  Reconnecting Families has become such a presence that we are receiving the volunteer assistance of a law firm in Fayette County.  The firm of McNally, Fox, Grant & Davenport website HERE is now volunteering for Reconnecting Families, Inc.  The young and successful attorney, Meredith Fox McClure is now offering some of our drug court participants a fresh start to a new life.  Meredith is helping certain women finalize divorces from men who contributed to their past lives, which offers them a new perspective and a fresh start in sobriety!

Big Thanks to Meredith and the folks at McNally, Fox Grant & Davenport!

The Atlanta Journal Constitution Opinion offers a lean towards New Beginnings and Not Incarceration

On Friday February 25th, the AJC ran these 2 articles supporting Drug Courts:

http://www.ajc.com/opinion/georgias-court-system-criminal-853238.html

http://www.ajc.com/opinion/atlanta-forward-another-view-853239.html

We hope you will continue to learn more about the importance of these programs!