By Sheldon Spackman

planning continues

Red Deer’s drug treatment court to open by mid-2022

May 17, 2021 | 4:23 PM

Planning work continues on establishing a new drug treatment court for Red Deer next year.

Government officials say drug treatment courts help break the cycle of addiction-related crime by helping more Albertans with addictions, and their families getting their lives back on track.

“The aim is to reduce the number of crimes motivated by drug addiction, using judicial supervision, treatment, drug testing, incentives, sanctions and social services support,” explains Katherine Thompson, Communications Advisor with the Alberta Justice and Solicitor General’s office. “Increasing investment in drug treatment courts also benefits Albertans in general, by preventing and/or reducing addiction-related crime in their communities.”

Thompson notes that in 2019 the province committed $20 million over four years to create Canada’s first provincial drug treatment court program, said to be based on consistent provincial standards and principles.

“The program expands drug treatment court services in a planned and systematic way by opening five new drug treatment courts to serve rural and remote communities, outside of Edmonton and Calgary, including in Red Deer,” she points out. “So far we have opened two new drug treatment courts, the first in Lethbridge in November, 2020 and the second in Medicine Hat in January, 2021. Both are already operating with active participants.”

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Thompson says the government is continuing to work closely with community members and stakeholders to have the three remaining new drug treatment courts, including in Red Deer, up and running before mid-2022, with details on the final two new drug treatment court locations still being worked on.

“In Alberta, our first drug treatment court started in 2005 in Edmonton, and the second one opened in Calgary in 2007,” recalls Thompson. “Both are considered the gold standard as, since their inception, they’ve reported that 70 per cent of their graduates remain crime free after program completion. In general, program participants report decreased levels of addiction risk whether they graduate the program or not, and those who don’t graduate, leave the program at lower risk to fall back into addiction and reoffend.”

“Many drug treatment court graduates end up giving back to the community by working as peer support for drug treatment courts or in the addictions community,” adds Thompson.

She says local police services report that drug treatment courts help reduce the number of police responses around drug-related crime and service calls.

“A single drug treatment court program is estimated to help avoid up to $7 million annually in potential incarceration costs. The Calgary drug treatment court estimates their program saves their community at least $15 million per year in stolen goods alone,” she exclaims. The Government of Alberta’s $20 million in added funding has allowed the Edmonton and Calgary programs to double their combined total capacity from about 40 participants per year to 80.”

A location for Red Deer’s drug treatment court has yet to be determined.