Gov. Janet Mills has signed a bill to fund a drug treatment court in Aroostook County.
Aroostook County District Attorney Todd Collins said plans for the special court have been underway for several years. The court will identify people in the criminal justice system struggling with substance use disorder and offer targeted support and supervision.
"When they're high risk, high needs, they need additional supervision," Collins said. "They need additional supports. They need that kind of increased accountability where people are coming in on a regular basis and accounting for their behaviors."
Collins said there is still more work to be done, from final approval from the judicial branch to hiring staff for the new court, but the funding is a significant milestone.
State Sen. Anne Carney sponsored the bill. She said she has a personal connection to the issue — before his death, her brother was incarcerated for charges related to his substance use disorder.
Carney said she was concerned when she learned Aroostook County was the only area in Maine that did not have access to a treatment court.
"That seemed really unfair to me," Carney said. "Our rural residents and just everybody in the state should absolutely have access to this kind of programming, because it's so impactful and successful."
Studies show that criminal defendants who go through treatment court are far less likely to commit another offense.
