Kane County Allocates Opioid Settlement Funds to Support Drug and Other Problem-Solving Courts
Kane County is utilizing funds from a landmark settlement with opioid companies to bolster the services offered to participants in its problem-solving courts.
A total of $350,000 has been set aside to the County's four specialized courts, which employ specific programs to divert low-level offenders away from incarceration and towards rehabilitation. These courts include:
• Veteran's Court, serving veterans of our armed forces
• Drug Rehabilitation Court (DRC), serving those with serious drug addictions whose drug use has been linked to the commission of crimes
• Treatment Alternative Court (TAC), serving those who have an untreated or unregulated and diagnosed mental illness that has directly been linked to their criminal behaviors
• DUI Court, serving those with multiple convictions for being under the influence of intoxicating substances while driving
“The majority of individuals in these programs have been arrested for offenses that are significant enough to result in their imprisonment if not for their involvement in one of our problem-solving courts," said Lisa Aust, Executive Director of Kane County Court Services. “This best practice ensures that the participants do not go back to their former environments which contributed to their criminal behavior."
The funding from the Opioid Settlement fund will support various activities aimed at aiding problem solving court participants' in treatment and recovery from addiction, including services for drug and behavioral issues, sober living accommodations, drug testing, staff trainings, and other eligible initiatives.
To date Kane County has received just over $1 million from settlements brought by state and local government lawsuits against pharmaceutical distributors, manufacturers and retailers accused of fueling the opioid crisis.
An AD HOC was created and tasked with overseeing the distribution and utilization of these funds to address opioid abuse and overdose abatement activities and programs.
The committee is comprised of the Kane County State's Attorney, the Kane County Sheriff, the Executive Director of the Health Department, the Kane County Coroner, and the Chair of the County Board Public Health Committee.
Committee members last year approved their first allocation of $103,284 to reimburse the Kane County Sheriff for expenses related to the creation a new forensics lab
