Kona Drug Court held its 37th Graduation Celebration on October 17 in the Kona Courthouse.  The five graduates each received a congratulatory letter from U.S. Senator Mazie Hirono and Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, recognizing them for their dedication and many achievements.

Drug Court is an innovative program that provides alternatives to incarceration.  The Big Island program was started in 2002 and has successfully graduated 227 participants (109 from Hilo, 118 from Kona).  

The latest graduates engaged in an 18-month minimum commitment to the program, during which time they participated in intensive court-based outpatient substance abuse treatment, along with intensive case management and probation supervision.  The program’s services include frequent and random drug and alcohol testing, mental health evaluation and treatment, assistance with obtaining employment and housing, random home visits, strict curfew monitoring, and frequent review hearings before the drug court judge.  Drug Court offers incentives and rewards to clients who maintain sobriety and are either attending school or training, or are gainfully employed.

In addition, Drug Court clients participate in community service projects throughout the year.  Recent projects of the Kona Drug Court include volunteering at the World Ironman Triathlon Championships, a food drive to benefit The Food Basket, Inc., “Hawai‘i Island’s Food Bank,” and maintaining a local walking path.  

For more information on the Big Island Drug Court program, contact the Drug Court Probation office in Kona at (808) 443-2200, or the Drug Court Probation office in Hilo at (808) 961-7566.