Drug Court grads get a second chance

The worst day of Veronica Betancourt’s life turned out to be the start of better ones to come.

STARTING OVER––A former substance abuser stands before a Ventura County judge as she graduates from one of the county’s two Drug Court programs. On Wednesday, three former alcoholics and/or drug addicts joined the graduate ranks. More than 500 people have voluntarily enrolled in county programs: Juvenile Drug Court, for addicts under 18, and Dependency Drug Court, for moms who exposed fetuses to drugs during pregnancy and who commit to a year of treatmentAs the Camarillo resident lay in the hospital in November 2003 after having just given birth, Betancourt’s sole visitors were social workers from the county’s child protective services, informing her she no longer had custody of her infant son.

The infant weighed less than five pounds and was being fed through a tube. Betancourt was a methamphetamine user, who’d exposed her baby to the drug during pregnancy.

Thanks to community and county programs including Dependency Drug Court, Betancourt soon gained custody of little Henry and a drug-free life.

She graduated from drug court last November. Last month three former substance abusers joined her as graduates of the program.

Drug court—a collaborative effort by the court system, county medical services, the state employment department and community treatment providers—operates two programs: Dependency Drug Court and Juvenile Drug Court.

More than 500 people have enrolled in both voluntary programs.

Although the programs are available to alcoholics and drug addicts, participants overwhelmingly are those addicted to drugs, particularly methamphetamines and marijuana, said Jill Barrios, coordinator for the programs.

Mothers who exposed their newborns to drugs during pregnancy can enter the dependency program. They must commit to a year of drug-use monitoring and treatment, which includes entering a residential drug treatment center and following a strict education plan. They’re then reunited with their baby.

No more than 25 mothers and their babies can participate in the program at any given time, and the program is nearly full. Barrios said it’s likely there are more moms and drug-exposed babies out there than are being reported to child protective services.

Substance abusers under 18 can enter the 12to 18-month juvenile program. With 25 participants, the program currently is at capacity, but when it receives additional funding, which is expected in July, it will likely expand to 50 participants, said Barrios.

Juveniles as young as 14 years old have participated, although the average age is 16. For at least 12 months, the teens attend an outpatient treatment program, including counseling and 12-step programs. They’re continually monitored for drug use and must report their progress to a judge as often as twice a week. Since they’re often expelled from school, they must try to resume their education, and they’re encouraged to find a job.

In the long run, drug court saves money, said Barrios. The court system isn’t tied up with addicted mothers and juveniles, and, at the same time, lives are changed. That is especially true of the drug-exposed infants, who reap the benefits of community services, she said.

What’s more, the program is a success. Barrios said a study of the program’s graduates found 75 percent were still clean after five years. On the other hand, 59 percent of those who didn’t complete the program returned to substance abuse, she said.

The day in November 2003 that Betancourt, now 30, saw her underweight son being fed through tubes was “a reality check.” Now a 17-month-old toddler, Henry weighs in at 25 pounds and suffers no apparent setbacks from drug exposure.

However, developmental specialists warn Betancourt that problems could surface later on.

Nevertheless, Betancourt credits Henry’s birth and the possibility of never seeing him again as the motivation she needed to straighten out her life.

“He’s my miracle baby,” said Betancourt, who’s an assistant manager of a bakery. Regarding the day social workers visited her in the hospital, she added, “It was the best thing, because God only knows where I’d be and where Henry would be.” For more information about the drug court programs, call Barrios at (805) 339-2519.