National Recovery Month  is celebrated in the U.S. annually each September to promote access to recovery, celebrate those participating in services, and educate communities about how to overcome the barriers of stigma and discrimination. The theme for this year’s Recovery Month is “Join the Voices for Recovery: Together We Are Stronger.”

In solidarity with this national movement, and to recognize recovery wins in our community, each year King County spotlights individuals and hosts activities that spread the message that behavioral health is essential to wellness, that treatment is effective, and that people with substance use and mental health disorders can and do recover.

This year’s Recovery Month activities in King County have been spearheaded by Kathleen Murphy, Behavioral Health Recovery Specialist along with a devoted team of recovery advocates and allies that include: Lisa Floyd, Sherry McCabe, Robert Ewanio, Heather Venegas, Jodie Shreve, John Allen, and Tiffanie Depew. A list of September Recovery Month Activities organized by this team include:

Events:

• Sept. 2-30 – Recovery Bus Ad Campaign
• Sept. 12 – Speak Out for Recovery at Recovery Café, Seattle
• Sept. 21 – King County Peer Network Picnic
• Sept. 27 – Speak Out for Recovery at Recovery High School, Seattle

Traveling resource table:

• Sept. 17 – Seattle City Hall Farmers Market
• Sept. 26 – Queen Anne Farmers Market

Recovery Month Proclamations around King County:

• Bellevue
• Covington
• Enumclaw
• Federal Way
• Issaquah
• Kirkland
• Medina
• North Bend
• Redmond
• Renton
• Sammamish
• SeaTac
• Seattle
• Shoreline
• Tukwila

More information about Recovery Month can be found at http://www.recoverymonth.gov.

Mary Taylor, Drug Court Manager

National Recovery Month is an opportunity to learn more about what King County is doing to support people with services that allow them to rebuild their lives after difficult situations. The internationally renowned King County Drug Court Program, started in 1994 and celebrating its 25th anniversary this October, provides multiple resources for people by combining those from the criminal justice system, substance abuse treatment, and other community services providers.

We sat down with Mary Taylor, Drug Court Manager, to learn more about the steady growth and continued success of this amazing program.

“This is a program within the criminal justice system that allows people charged with specific felonies to access treatment and other services to get their lives back together,” said Mary. “We’re bringing people back who may have lost their way.”

The program is important for a variety of reasons. Each person receives a level of supervision and resources to learn new skills, treat mental health and substance use disorders, receive peer support, and set important personal goals. This comprehensive approach helps each participant, as well as their families and the overall community.

“The program attempts to address participants’ needs. We provide extensive wraparound services,” said Mary, who has been involved with the program since 1998, and started with King County in 1988.

She adds how she has enjoyed helping the program grow over time to include 11 county and 2 contract staff and countless community service providers. Mary admits it is challenging work, but that seeing results encourages her and other staff to continue doing it.

“I grew up with parents who owned a restaurant and were constantly expanding it, and planning the next big thing,” she said. “I guess I bring that experience to this role, asking myself ‘How can we improve, what’s the next step?’.”

“Seeing people at the drug court graduation talking about their path and how they feel whole again are the results that motivate me to keep going.”

This personal connection between the participants and drug court staff is one of the many reasons the program has thrived. Mary explains that relationship building is essential to helping people succeed.

“Court participants can establish a relationship with the judge and talk directly to them,” she said. “Participants form relationships with every staff member, including court staff.”

“We have all bought into this work, and care about the program participant as a person and about their success.”

Further explaining how the program can have a profound impact on each person, Mary says that besides treatment for opioid, heroin, or other drug use, the program attempts to addresses the practical needs of every participant. This includes ORCA cards to help people get to and from appointments, one year of recovery-oriented housing, and working with a resource specialist to develop employment skills and identify other opportunities. Each person receives individualized treatment from professionals they may not have been able to access otherwise. If participants in the program are successful in their treatment, then their criminal charges are dismissed. If not, then they are adjudicated on the original charge. As of August 2019, 2,546 people have graduated from the program.

For the region, the program results in reduced crime and prison use. A December 2018 analysis of Washington State Drug Court participation by Washington State Institute for Public Policy (WSIPP) found crime reductions translated into a net benefit to taxpayers of $9,149 per program participant. Jail bookings were reduced by 49% over the long term for King County Drug Diversion Court (KCDDC) participants, according to the 2018 Mental Illness and Drug Dependency (MIDD) Annual Report.

To learn more about the program, visit the King County Drug Diversion Court webpage. To read a breakdown of the program and its impact, read this blog post on the King County Superior Court blog titled “King County Drug Diversion Court: By the Numbers.”

Pictured: If successful in Drug Court, participants graduate and charges are dismissed. 2,546 people have graduated from King County Drug Court (as of August 2019).

Crafted by Executive Constantine and Mayor Durkan, legislation now before the King County Council and Seattle City Council establishes the King County Regional Homelessness Authority to oversee policy, funding, and services for people experiencing homelessness countywide. The legislation includes a proposed Interlocal Agreement (ILA) and a Charter that authorizes the creation of the new Public Development Authority (PDA) to administer and oversee regional homelessness efforts. 

“The new regional authority represents a concerted effort to increase coordination and collaboration of our planning, resources and service delivery countywide to achieve a more efficient and effective response to the needs in our community,” said Executive Constantine. “We are determined to create a service system that seeks solutions to the disproportionality of homelessness among communities of color and listens to the voices of those with lived experience of homelessness as some of our most insightful consultants. Our vision is a homeless response system that is fair and just for all.” 

Read more in the official press release. 

Do you know how to register to vote? In King County, you can register to vote online or by mail until eight to days before an election or in-person through Election Day. Registrations done by mail need to be received, not postmarked, by the eight-day deadline. Learn more.