MANSFIELD, Ohio — One year and 21 days – that’s how long former heroin-user Ashley Cole has been clean.
The Mansfield native said she’s programmed her phone to give her daily reminders of the progress she’s made, which came about largely through participation in the Mansfield Municipal Court’s Drug and Alcohol Treatment Court.
Treatment court provides comprehensive mental health and drug and alcohol treatment for seriously addicted individuals. To ensure accountability, offenders are regularly tested for drug and alcohol and are subjected to random visits at their home and within the community.
Participants are required to appear for a court review hearing at least two times per month so the presiding judges can ensure the participants are in compliance with the court. The review hearing includes probation officers and treatment providers who discuss the participants’ progress.
They are either rewarded for doing well or sanctioned for not living up to their obligations.
On Wednesday, Cole, along with 27 other individuals, was recognized for successfully completing the program during a treatment court graduation ceremony at the Catalyst Rehab Center.
Fittingly, the ceremony was held during National Recovery Month (formerly known as National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month), which is a national observance sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) each September.
Kim Romoser, probation officer for treatment court, welcomed attendees to the ceremony, which drew a packed house. Other treatment court probation officers are Kasey Plank and Aaron Abbott.
Romoser thanked area agencies, including Catalyst Life Services, Three C Counseling, Community Alternative Center, Family Life Counseling, Reformers Unanimous and Third Street Family Health Services, for their partnership with treatment court.
“This is a community court,” explained Municipal Court Judge Jerry Ault.
The court was founded in 1997 and has served defendants with substance abuse issues for over 18 years. It is one of about 2,500 operational drug courts in the United States and was recently certified by the Ohio Supreme Court. This type of specialty docket reduces correctional costs, protects community safety and improves public welfare.
Between January and June of 2015, the program had a 49.3 percent success rate.
Municipal Court Judge Frank Ardis, Jr. said, “This is probably one of the largest graduations we’ve had of all the specialty courts in Mansfield Municipal Court.”
He said that the large number of people in the graduating class indicates that the area has a drug and alcohol problem.
Veronica Groff, president and CEO of Catalyst Life Services, said she did some research on the graduates, noting, “I found out that most of you are in your 20s and 30s, some are in their 40s, and I think one of you is 19.”
She learned a little about their families and personal life and read some of the descriptions they gave themselves. “In your own words, one of you describes himself as ‘straightforward and honest.’ Another says, ‘I don’t give up easily.'”
She continued to list other character traits, finally saying, “What I want the group to know is that you’re all human beings, and you all have hopes and dreams, and it’s our hope that those hopes are coming alive for you now.”
Joe Trolian, executive director of Richland Mental Health and Recovery Services, said that the road to recovery is one of the most difficult to travel and also one of the most rewarding.
He congratulated the graduates for making it thus far, adding, “Your journey is far from over. Your road to recovery continues.”
He encouraged them to rely on family, friends and supporters during trials. “Their love and support will help provide you with motivation at times when you just want to give up,” he said.
He also encouraged them to consider helping others who are struggling with addiction. “Your journey can inspire others to make the choices of recovery. Let people know that recovery’s really possible,” he said.
Additionally, he reminded people to head to the polls Nov. 3 to vote for the 10-year, 1-mill mental health renewal levy. He said the levy helps support the many services “that have helped you get to where you are today and will be needed by those who come after you.”
Cole said it’s a bit frightening to think she’s not a part of treatment court anymore because of the structure and discipline it provided; however, she will still be involved as a mentor with Mentoring Others Through Treatment (MOTT).
“It’s something that will hold me accountable because I have other people relying on me,” she said.
Neely Smith, another treatment court graduate, is also a mentor with the program. She said MOTT was formed about two months ago and is facilitated by four treatment court graduates.
“We are there to help others in treatment court. If they have any questions, if they’re struggling–just anything along those lines,” she said.
She said she enjoys being involved in MOTT, commenting, “If I can help just one person, that would make my day.”
For information about treatment court, contact Kim Romoser at 419-755-9603 or kromoser@ci.mansfield.oh.us.
