Federal Government Provides More Funds to Fight Drug Addiction Crisis

Increased federal funding is being directed towards combatting drug abuse in Nevada, as well as in other states. As reported by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada, in furtherance of the federal government’s efforts to combat the nation’s drug crisis, the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs has recently announced more than $333 million in awards for communities that are battling the opioid addiction crisis. Of this total amount of grant funds, almost $1.3 million will be earmarked for use by public safety and health professionals in Nevada, to help them in their efforts to respond to the opioid crisis.

Federal Funds for the Las Vegas Justice Court Drug Program

Specific awards made to organizations in the District of Nevada include, notably, a grant of more than $650,000 to the Las Vegas Township Justice Court, under the Adult Drug Court and Veterans Treatment Court Discretionary Grant Program. This grant is intended to help fund and expand the Las Vegas Justice Court’s Drug Court program. In addition to this most recent grant, the Las Vegas Justice Court also received almost $400,000 in two-year funding from the Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) in August of 2019. According to a Clark County Public Communications News Release, the goal of this grant, as well, is to expand the use of drug courts; the hope is to use this grant money to expand the Las Vegas Justice Court’s Drug Court program to include 50 new participants each year for the next five 5 years. All of this is very good news for the Las Vegas Justice Court’s Drug Court Program, as past funding limitations have also limited the availability of the program to eligible participants.

What is the Las Vegas Justice Court Drug Program?

The Drug Court Program is a court-supervised program that provides inpatient and outpatient substance abuse treatment for participants. According to the Clark County News Release, the program has a 79% compliance/retention rate and takes at least 18 months to complete. Stated goals and services provided for participants who have been evaluated and accepted into the program include:

• for incarcerated homeless participants, release into a stable and drug-free residential environment for at least one month (and up to three months), in order to gain stability
• substance abuse treatment, including medically assisted treatment, if necessary
• assistance in obtaining government-issued identification, if necessary
• connecting participants with local community and employment resources.

As one program graduate featured in the Las Vegas Sun report explained, the program does not cure addition, but does provide participants with tools they can use to help them combat and overcome addictive impulses and urges.

For More Information

If you would like more information about drug crimes and court programs in Las Vegas, and/or for specific information and questions about the Las Vegas Justice Court Drug Program, contact an experienced Las Vegas drug crime lawyer at Lobo Law.

Resources:

lasvegassun.com/news/2019/oct/13/addict-finds-his-redemption-in-drug-court-program/

justice.gov/usao-nv/pr/justice-department-awards-more-333-million-fight-opioid-crisis

https://www.lvcriminallawfirm.com/drug-crimes-in-las-vegas/