Drug Treatment Court

The Frederick County Drug Treatment Court (DTC) is a voluntary, non-adversarial judicial response to non-violent, drug addicted offenders charged in Circuit Court. The DTC is a post-plea, pre-sentence program. In order to enter the DTC, the defendant must plead guilty and sentencing is deferred. The defendant must participate fully with all prescribed treatment and instructions of the DTC staff. Sentencing will occur upon graduation or termination from DTC. The DTC provides a comprehensive program of supervision and treatment, which includes substance abuse treatment, education, and vocational and rehabilitative services.

Focus

The DTC focuses on assisting the participants in achieving self-sufficiency and becoming responsible members of the community by living drug-free in an environment filled with life’s obstacles and pressures.

Who is Eligible

Many of these residents will be unemployed, indigent, single parents who have educational, job training, housing, and social issues. The eligibility requirements are blind to race, ethnicity, gender, and/or religious orientation.

Goals

The following goals have been developed to provide a more efficient judicial process for criminal cases involving substances, to provide a more effective intervention for alcohol and substance abuse offenders, and to decrease recidivism within the community:

Goal#1:
Enhance public safety in Frederick County by reducing criminal activity (to include any drug and/or alcohol-related citation/charges) by DTC participant and graduates within the community.

Goal #2:
Reduce substance abuse among DTC participants by providing effective interventions.

Goal #3:
To reduce the burden on taxpayers by promoting self-sufficiency of participants and graduates.

Drug Treatment Court Agency Partners

Frederick County Circuit Court;  Frederick County State’s Attorney’s Office;  Office of the Public Defender;  Frederick County Behavioral Health Services – Substance Abuse Services;  Department of Public Safety & Correctional Services – Community Supervision;  Frederick County Law Enforcement Agencies

For information regarding the Frederick County Drug Treatment Court program, contact DTC Coordinator Paul Wolford at 301-600-2978 or via email Paul Wolford.