Pubdate: Sun, 07 Nov 1999 Source: Fresno Bee, The (CA) Copyright: 1999 The Fresno Bee Contact: http://www.fresnobee.com/man/opinion/letters.html Website: http://www.fresnobee.com/ Forum: http://www.fresnobee.com/man/projects/webforums/opinion.html Author: Javier Erik Olvera, The Fresno Bee SOUTH VALLEY DRUG COURT RESUSCITATED Latest Version Of The Program Will Have One Less Probation Officer. VISALIA - The juvenile drug court program crushed by staffing cuts five weeks ago will be revived with one less probation officer and a different method of monitoring sobriety. The probation officer who would make random visits to youths' homes for drug testing is no longer part of the drug court. That leaves one probation officer for the entire program. Instead of at-home testing, youths taking part in the voluntary Juvenile Drug Court program will now have to provide urine samples weekly to clinics located throughout the county. Tulare County leaders who head the program, which is being redeveloped and doesn't have a start-up date, will be tough on themselves to make sure the program is a success, they said. The reason for all of this is simple, said Superior Court Judge Melinda Reed, who presides over juvenile court: Juvenile Drug Court has been one of the best weapons to combat crime. Letting it go without a struggle would be ridiculous, those involved with starting it up said. "The youths of this county as well as across the country are in need of a program that addresses the needs of youth drug problems," Reed said. "My desire is to continue something that already worked here." Juvenile court officials began referring youths to drug court earlier this week, even though it hasn't started officially. County probation officers, the Health and Human Services Agency and the Superior Court judges will meet Nov. 15 to pinpoint specifics about how the program will work and when it should start. Referred youths will be evaluated by trained drug and alcohol counselors to determine whether they would benefit from the program once it resumes, Reed said. They are looking for youths who want to get away from drugs and criminal lifestyles and turn their lives around, she said. 60 slots in program At this point, there will be one part-time probation officer supervisor. That supervisor will oversee one full-time probation officer, who would be in charge of all the youths' cases. About 60 youths will be involved with the 9-month, three-phase program, Reed said. Juvenile Court Commissioner Hugo Loza will oversee the drug court and hand out punishments if youths violate the agreement. "We see that there is a need for it," Loza said, adding that methamphetamine use among youths in this area is on the rise. The new program will be modeled after the one shut down last month by its creator, Tulare County Superior Court Judge William Silveira. Silveira set up the drug court four years ago. The first six months of the 9-month program involved weekly counseling sessions and drug testing, which tapered down to less frequent sessions. Original drug court ends Changes to the drug court began in August when the Probation Department eliminated one of the court's two probation officers. The Health and Human Services agency decided in September to cut the number of drug counselors from four to two and changed the rigorous procedure for drug testing. Silveira, calling the changes a "recipe for failure," ended the program last month. Reed and others said they plan to watch the revived program closely. They will try to help the same number of youths, even if they are one probation officer short. If problems arise, they're willing to give the program's structure another look, she said. #11322 - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D