Pubdate: Sat, 07 Apr 2001
Source: Daily Star (NY)
Copyright: 2001 The Daily Star
Contact:  http://www.thedailystar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/557
Author: Tom Grace

LEAF FOCUSES ON DRUG COURTS

ONEONTA - The role of drug treatment courts was the focus of this year's 
LEAF Council on Alcoholism and Addiction's annual gathering at the Holiday 
Inn in Oneonta on Friday.

Experts spoke about many aspects of the nation's drug problems during the 
gathering, and workshops on drug treatment, drug testing and community 
supervision were held for those who work with users of illegal drugs.

During the program, it was announced that Leo J. Giovagnoli, 40, of Oneonta 
has been appointed coordinator of Otsego County's Drug Treatment Court.

Giovagnoli, a substance abuse counselor at the county's Chemical 
Dependencies Clinic since 1989, will work with Otsego County Judge Michael 
Coccoma to assure that drug court clients receive adequate treatment and 
supervision.

Coccoma, who presides over the Drug Treatment Court, said Giovagnoli is an 
excellent choice for the post. "Over the next few months, I want people 
from all over to know that Leo is here to help us with this program," he said.

The county's Drug Treatment Court has 23 clients and by late spring or 
early summer, the first of these clients will graduate from the program, 
Giovagnoli said. Clients usually are enrolled after running afoul of the 
law, typically from driving while intoxicated. If they qualify for the 
program by having an addiction and a desire to control it, they are offered 
an opportunity to get treatment rather than jail time.

Giovagnoli noted that the drug treatment court approach soon will be used 
in the county's family court, where drug abuse is often linked to domestic 
problems. By getting to the roots of problems and working closely with 
clients to improve their lives, there is hope of reducing the destructive 
behavior associated with abusing drugs, he said.

According to Warren Ryther, director of the county's probation department, 
the drug court monitors its clients closely.

"We don't have the staff to do it ourselves, but we work with the other 
agencies involved," he said. "A client may see a counselor one day and a 
probation officer, the next. We work together to keep track of people. I 
think that's the key; it's a coordinated approach."

Robert Russell, presiding judge of the Buffalo City Drug Court, said the 
drug court approach is a more effective way to deal with drug users than 
jail time.

Russell, the featured speaker Friday, said that "close to 50 percent" of 
the nation's federal prisoners and about 25 percent of those in state 
prison are doing time for drug-related crimes. And last year, the United 
States had almost 2 million people behind bars, he noted.

"What's happening now is more people see we need a better way to deal with 
these problems," he said.

The goal of drug courts is to intervene in people's lives, `'to get them 
sober and then to work on changing their lives so they stay that way," 
Russell said. Drug courts work to improve a client's overall health and 
environment, recognizing that an addicted person is likely to lapse into 
bad habits if left if left to his own devices, he said.

Carl Kuhlmeier, primary care clinical coordinator at Conifer Park, a 
treatment center in Glenville, said one of his goals is to make clients 
realize they can make choices in their lives.

"On the one hand, they can keep doing what they're doing, and with the 
Rockefeller drug laws, risk 25 years in prison. Or they can decide to 
change their lives," he said.

Addicted clients often want to make irrational choices at first, but as 
they work with counselors they can be rehabilitated, said Andrea Onderdonk, 
a counselor at Conifer Park.

"We work on anger management and basic living skills," she said.

Onderdonk said she can "be very confrontational when I have to be. If I 
have someone whose been selling crack, I might say, 'You can sell that 
eight-ball in five minutes and make as much money as you would in a week at 
a job. But if you do it, you're going to have to look over your shoulder 
all the time, and where's the money going to come from when you're arrested?"'

Both Onderdonk and Kuhlmeier stressed that families can play a key role in 
helping clients recover, by accepting a client's problems and encouraging 
him to get better.

LEAF's Executive Director Elizabeth Currier said she was pleased with the 
turnout and the quality of Friday's program.

"We have excellent people here from all over and I think we're learning a 
lot today," she said.

Thomas Heitz, LEAF's publications director, noted that Charles Christman, 
commissioner of the Otsego County Department of Social Services, will 
receive this year's Robert S. Sioussat Award. The award, honoring LEAF's 
founder, is given annually for efforts to help people resolve problems with 
alcohol, tobacco and other drugs.
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart