The Amherst Drug Court & Therapeutic Foundation announced today that the Board of Directors approved a request from the Amherst Drug Treatment Court for funding of substance abuse testing kits. “The testing kits that will be used to provide a safe and secure method of screening participants of the program” said Guy Marlette, Foundation President. “The results are virtually instantaneous and will allow the court to better monitor the participants, said Marlette.”

“The individuals that have been allowed to participate in Drug Court are given strict guidelines for inclusion in Drug Treatment Court, said Amherst Judge Mark Farrell.”
The continued success of Drug Court and the success of the participant is adherence to these guidelines. The random testing of individuals ensure that these guidelines and conditions are maintained, as well as sending a message to all participants of our zero tolerance policy of continued substance abuse, continued Farrell.

In the eleven years since it’s inception the Amherst Drug Treatment court has graduated over 1,400 participants, with over 80 percent have proven successful by not relapsing into drug or alcohol use, thus becoming productive members of our community.

“The passion and dedication of Judge Farrell and the entire Drug Court personnel, is what allows us to continue our mission to help and serve the individual, the community, and the town” said Marlette.

Drug Treatment Court has been a win-win situation, which has resulted in huge economic savings in terms of reduced incarceration, more effective treatment, and stopping the cycle of repeated offenses. The most important dividend has been the human factor, which is represented by countless stories of personal triumph and lives that have been saved. The Amherst Drug Treatment Court is one of the largest and most effective in the state of New York.

Amherst Drug Treatment Court receives little, if any, public funding and has relied upon grant funding over the last ten years of its existence. Due to the lack of grant funding, the current economic situation requires the Court to turn to private subsidy to maintain its successful operation.

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