A master’s level addiction counselor and DCCCA therapist, Emily Trube has served as the primary counselor on the Douglas County Drug Court Team since 2023. Recalling their first names by memory, Trube counted 10 clients who graduated through the specialty court that provides treatment and support rather than punishment.

 

“Treatment is front and center. It’s about how we can support the continued growth of clients. It’s astounding to see that growth,” she said.

 

“I love Drug Court so much for so many reasons. We can be proud that we are supporting all of the community. The seeds have been planted. The graduates have been given the opportunity to take healthy risks, make mistakes, and find their strengths. It’s cool to see them find themselves again,” said Trube.

 

Also recalling a handful of her clients who didn’t graduate, she added, “For many people, Drug Court is a Hail Mary. We’re at the end of the line. There is lots of accountability, structure, and pressure to stay in it. We know not everyone is going to make it through. We have to put our emotions aside. It is a real roller-coaster.”

 

Dressed to the nines and smiling broadly, the county’s 39th Drug Court graduate mimicked dance moves on his way to the podium to the applause of an audience of about 60 supporters gathered in the historic courtroom-turned-commission chambers in early February. Chief Judge of the District Court Mark Simpson shared that the graduate had attended outpatient treatment 115 times, reported to the court supervisor 195 times, and appeared in Drug Court 50 times over two years to reach this milestone.

 

“He finds joy in the process of building a better life through recovery and used the resources of the program to be successful,” Simpson said of the graduate whose name is being omitted to protect patient confidentiality.

 

Describing as “crazy” his feelings about sharing his story and having others clap for him, the graduate talked about his childhood trauma, drinking, and using other drugs. “When I started here, I was on the struggle bus. I thought I was being set up for failure,” he said of the managed structure of treatment and the court. The first time I started believing in and trusting myself and the program, I had to change the people, places, things, and the atmosphere of who I was around,” he said.

 

“You saw something in me I didn’t see in myself. You’ve seen me at my worst and turning a corner,” he said to the Drug Court Team members in a voice shaking with emotion. “If it weren’t for DCCCA and Drug Court, I would not be here today.”

 

The graduation ceremony ended with Jim Carpenter, senior assistant district attorney, presenting the graduate with the court order to terminate his probation. Chief Judge Simpson then provided his signed copy.

 

Among the well-wishers gathered for the celebration were five Drug Court alumni, pledging their ongoing support to the graduate. This group gave the graduate a gift card and an alumni T-shirt with a graphic depicting the Phoenix rising from flames and the phrase, “Empowering Change.”

 

Visibly moved during the ceremony, Trube shared that it feels like she can finally breathe when clients reach this significant place. “Seeing all of the people there to support them, and the power of their transformation, it’s miraculous what can happen when someone allows change to occur in their lives. It’s why we do what we do. I provide the space, tools, and listening ear to help them do the work. The progress is theirs. It is amazing to step back and see their transformation,” she said.

 

Krystal Guzman serves as DCCCA’s peer support specialist on the Drug Court Team. Peers are individuals with lived experience in long-term recovery. They provide emotional, informational, and instructional support and companionship to their clients.

 

Guzman shared the joy of her client’s graduation. “He will always hold a special place in my heart. When I first joined Drug Court, he was actively struggling with his addiction and was not quite ready to stop. I watched him struggle, and then after he was released from inpatient services, I witnessed the lights come on for him and watched him reach goal after goal that he set for himself. Watching him graduate was truly inspiring,” Guzman said.

 

Established in 2020 and funded by the Douglas County Commission, Drug Court is a four-phase treatment program for adults with substance use disorders who are charged with felonies or have felony probation violations. According to the county’s website, participants plead guilty and are convicted. Their sentencing is withheld pending successful completion of the program, at which time, their plea is withdrawn and case dismissed.

 

Drug Court’s mission is to reduce recidivism by offering community treatment and a therapeutic court setting. Its goals include to promote and enhance public safety, provide accountability and alternatives to incarceration for those with substance use disorders, and engage the community in the recovery process through education and awareness of the addiction cycle.

 

The Drug Court Team supports participants with long-term treatment, judicial oversight, consistent, supportive supervision; objective measures of abstinence, and recovery skills necessary to maintain a substance-free lifestyle.

 

“One thing I absolutely love about my role as a peer for Drug Court is that I am able to be an advocate and a voice for my clients in a court setting, where I once was myself and did not feel heard or understood,” said Guzman. “Joining the Drug Court Team has been amazing. I have always wondered what I wanted to do career-wise, and I honestly feel I have finally found my purpose in life.”

 

Graduations mark accomplishments as well as signify new beginnings. “Recovery is lifelong. Every day is a choice, and you hope the graduates get a sense of who they really are and commit to doing what’s necessary to preserve that sober life. All you can do is to hope that happens,” said Trube.