The South Dakota Unified Judicial System's Second Circuit Drug Court has announced a partnership with the University of South Dakota (USD) to enhance support for treatment court participants. This collaboration is facilitated by a five-year, $2 million grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), secured by USD’s Department of Addiction Counseling & Prevention. The project, titled “System and Community Interventions to Prevent Incarceration and Reduce Stigma (SCIPIRS),” aims to improve substance use disorder treatment and recovery support.
“This is a life changing opportunity for treatment court participants in our community. This partnership will allow our participants to thrive, and when that happens everyone benefits,” said Second Circuit Drug Court Judge Pat Riepel. “We are so thankful to USD for seeing the need and taking action to address substance use disorders. Providing counseling and addressing prevention are crucial to the recovery community.”
The initiative focuses on providing an innovative approach to rehabilitating individuals affected by substance use or mental health disorders who may continue criminal activities without intervention. Treatment courts under the Unified Judicial System (UJS) offer personalized, evidence-based treatment alongside ongoing support services, collaborating with various justice system stakeholders.
For those with substance use disorders, the emphasis is on treatment over incarceration. The grant will facilitate prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery services for individuals involved in the Second Judicial Circuit covering Minnehaha and Lincoln counties.
Funds from the grant will be used to hire a justice navigator, provide medical services including medication-assisted treatment, conduct holistic health screenings, and involve cultural experts in reviewing court processes. It will also expand peer support services where Melissa Dittberner is recognized as an expert.
Noreen Plumage, director of UJS Treatment Courts, emphasized that this partnership was crafted with participants' needs in mind, aligning with best practices in treatment court philosophy. "This significant grant underscores the power of strong community partnerships," Plumage stated. "This collaboration with USD highlights how working together can provide critical support for participants while ensuring the long-term success of the court."
Brennan Thompson expressed hopes that this effort would lead to improved abstinence from substance use and enhance housing stability, employment status, social connectedness while reducing criminal justice involvement. “This is an opportunity to accompany more people on their journeys,” Thompson noted.
Dittberner added her aspirations to reduce generational trauma and stigma associated with mental health and substance use disorders through comprehensive support strategies.
South Dakota hosts 17 operational treatment courts including drug court, DUI court, veterans court, and mental health court. Further information about UJS’ treatment courts can be found at their official website.