11th Judicial Circuit of Florida
For Immediate Release
October 26, 2016
Contact: Eunice Sigler, Director
Office of Government Liaison & Public Relations
Phone (305) 349-7189 Fax (305) 349-7190 Cell (786) 348-7381
Health Foundation of South Florida has awarded a $98,000 grant to the Miami-Dade Courts’ Adult Drug Court to support participant access to integrated drug treatment services. The Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Florida is enthusiastic about working in partnership with the Health Foundation of South Florida to achieve a shared goal of improving the health of individuals in Miami-Dade County.
“We are extremely grateful to the Health Foundation for funding a vital service for our community and our drug court,” said Judge Jeri Beth Cohen, who presides over Adult Drug Court. “Our community is in the midst of a serious heroin epidemic affecting individuals young and old. This epidemic does not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, gender or social status. Without case managers being funded by the Foundation, drug court would lose the ability to motivate these addicted individuals and coordinate their care. The Health Foundation’s grant provides the hope of recovery to those plagued by addiction.”
In 1989, the Eleventh Judicial Circuit of Florida pioneered the first drug court in the United States. The Circuit created an innovative approach to provide therapy and strict court supervision versus incarceration to change the behaviors of non-violent offenders with substance abuse problems. Modeled after national best practices, the Miami-Dade County Adult Drug Court is a one-year voluntary diversion and treatment program that provides participants with intensive court supervision, mandatory drug testing, substance abuse treatment, and linkages to other social services. The specialized court docket and dedicated court staff model enables participants’ recovery from substance abuse and addiction, and reduces the probability of repeat offenses in the future.
The Eleventh Judicial Circuit has been at the forefront in problem-solving courts by implementing numerous programs and services to assist in effective case management, and to resolve problems that would otherwise negatively impact the community. Programs pioneered in Miami-Dade County, like the Adult Drug Court, have been modeled by other courts and are now in effect in other judicial circuits nationwide.
The Miami-Dade Adult Drug Court recognizes the long-term benefits of sustaining therapeutic court program improvements. Partnering with the Health Foundation of South Florida helps the Adult Drug Court to continue to promote better health and quality of life for drug court participants, ultimately benefitting the Miami-Dade community as a whole.
Health Foundation of South Florida, a nonprofit organization that improves health through community investments for health promotion and preventive services. With partnerships on a national, state and local level, the Foundation advances the ability of residents in Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties to lead healthier lives. Since its founding in 1993, the Foundation has worked with more than 400 organizations and awarded over $115 million. For more information, please call 305.374.7200 or visit www.hfsf.org
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If you are a person with a disability who needs any accommodation in order to participate in this proceeding, you are entitled, at no cost to you, to the provision of certain assistance. Please contact the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court’s ADA Coordinator, Lawson E. Thomas Courthouse Center, 175 NW 1st Ave., Suite 2702, Miami, FL 33128, Telephone (305) 349-7175; TDD (305) 349-7174, Fax (305) 349-7355 at least 7 days before your scheduled court appearance, or immediately upon receiving this notification if the time before the scheduled appearance is less than 7 days; if you are hearing or voice impaired, call 711.