Court programs in Solano County making big impact

During a time of economic uncertainty, Solano County Superior Court and Solano County officials have partnered with other agencies and community groups to make an impact on such problems as domestic violence and drugs, officials said Wednesday.

Two federal grants that created the court's Dependency Drug Court and Family Law Domestic Violence Court are evidence of that. Both programs have seen their share of successes and, on Wednesday, court and county officials gathered at the Hall of Justice in Fairfield to talk about them with Rep. John Garamendi, D-Solano, whom they hope will influence officials in Washington to send more money their way.

The Dependency Drug Court provides intensive judicial monitoring to Solano County parents who have a dependency case and who are addicted to drugs and/or alcohol. The goal is for them to achieve sobriety and reunify with their children. Officials said such programs save as much as $27 for every $1 invested, and save up to $13,000 for every individual they serve.

But, for it to be successful, it takes collaboration between not just the courts and attorneys, but also with county Health and Social Services, mental health and substance abuse professionals, among others.

Since its inception in Solano County in 2006, the Dependency Drug Court Program has seen 67 parents reunified with their children. Some 35 clients gained employment, 62 found safe housing, 13 enrolled in school and 56 graduated from the program.

One of

those graduates, 44-year-old James Brown of Benicia, told the room full of judges, court and county employees that Child Protective Services took both of his children from him because of his drug use, but that, luckily, he was referred to the program by Judge Michael Mattice.

"It's a line of defense for parents who don't have a line of defense. You're intimidated, you don't know how the system works," Brown said. "My journey through Dependency Drug Court made my whole trip easier."

The Family Law Domestic Violence Court (DVC) is also making an impact, officials said.

It is a consolidated domestic violence restraining order calendar that allows users to access additional services in the courtroom. Its goals are to strengthen community response to domestic violence and provide coordinated services to litigants seeking restraining orders to head off intimate partner violence. The DVC began in July and has issued 123 restraining orders.

Garamendi, whom court officials said would be writing a letter to Washington officials to help the county obtain a grant to expand its adult drug court program, was impressed with the job the courts, county officials and community members had been doing.

"You're doing the right thing here and you're doing it in a manner that's effective, ground-breaking and providing a template for others in the state," he said.

Follow staff writer Ryan Chalk

at Twitter.com/RyanChalk1883.

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Court programs in Solano County making big impact