Three members of the DeKalb County Drug Court joined other Drug Courts from across the nation July 14-24 in Washington DC for the 19th Annual National Drug Court Conference.
While in the nation’s Capitol, Judge Bratten Hale Cook II, Drug Court Coordinator Norene Puckett and Case Manager Rachel Garrison went to Capitol Hill to meet with legislators about the benefits of Drug Courts in Tennessee.
The purpose of the meetings was to urge members of Congress to support funding  for Drug Courts and to advocate for the goal of putting a Drug Court in reach of every person in need.
DeKalb County is one of but a handful of certified Drug Courts in the State of Tennessee. 
The Drug Court, which is led by Judge Bratten Hale Cook II, provides weekly supervision to Drug Court participants while they adhere to intensive evidence-based treatment programs and frequent random drug testing.
Drug Courts are a cost effective alternative to incarceration for those individuals suffering from drug and alcohol addiction.
When an individual who is caught up in the criminal justice system because of their addiction asks for help, the Drug Court provides a treatment alternative to incarceration.
The DeKalb County Drug Court program is operated on state and local grants, and while it costs the Drug Court about $9.86 per day per participant, it could cost the county as much as $54.79 a day to house them as an inmate.
Drug Court is cost effective because it saves the county the cost of incarcerating an inmate for a year or more.
Drug Court is successful because it is a collaborative approach between the court and community partners such as the Haven of Hope Counseling.
Haven of Hope has worked diligently to implement the required treatment programs that not only provide low-cost treatment to Drug Court participants, but to any individual in DeKalb County who is in need of affordable treatment and who may not have insurance.
DeKalb County has an Adult Drug Court, and Adult DUI Court and a Juvenile Drug Court.
In fact, the National Drug Court Institute has recognized the DeKalb County Juvenile Drug Court as an effective example, and will be using it as a model for other Drug Courts around the country.
If you would like more information about the Drug Court program or other treatment information, you may contact Judge Bratten Cook II or DeKalb County Drug Court Coordinator Norene Puckett at by phone at 615-215-8690, or by e-mail at Norene.drugcourt@gmail.com.