Establishment of Juvenile Drug Court
Established in 2002, the Court of Common Pleas, Juvenile Division, Coshocton County began operating a Juvenile Drug Court Docket. Program and Policy manuals were created in conjunction with the Drug Court Planning Initiative (DCPI) grant.
In 2013, it was decided that the Court shall operate a post-adjudication specialized docket, according to the requirements set forth in Rules of Superintendence for Courts of Ohio 36.20 through 36.29 for substance abuse cases that have not responded to traditional methods of treatment intervention. This Specialized Docket was referred to as “Coshocton County Juvenile Drug Court”, and began formal operations as a Supreme Court of Ohio certified specialty docket program effective January 1, 2014.
Specific Program Goals include: successful completion and integration of treatment knowledge; improve home life which reduces the need for out-of-home placement; and increasing competency through educational achievement.
Program Objectives include: successful completion of treatment and all program requirements; increased competency as exhibited by enhanced education and employment opportunities; and a reduction in alternative placement.
Mission Statement:
“The Mission of the Coshocton County Juvenile Drug Court is to provide opportunities for non-violent adolescent offenders and their families to eliminate alcohol and other drug use, reducing criminal activity through strength-based services, resulting in responsible citizenship and community safety.”
The mission was adopted on February 9, 2003, at Point Clear, Alabama after a series of National Trainings sponsored in part by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention through the National Drug Court Planning Initiatives Grant. The Coshocton County Program Development Team consisted of:
C. Fenning Pierce, Juvenile Judge Coshocton County Juvenile Court
Steve Champagne, Court Administrator Coshocton County Juvenile Court
Doug Schonauer, Chief Probation Officer Coshocton County Juvenile Court
Jim Mulford, Drug Court Probation Officer Coshocton County Juvenile Court
Beth Cormack, Executive Director Coshocton Behavioral Health Choices
Jeanette Hall, Counselor Coshocton Behavioral Health Choices
Anne Randles, Director Coshocton County Children Services
Timothy France, Assistant Prosecutor Coshocton County Prosecutor’s Office
Norm Davitt, Public Defender Coshocton County Public Defender’s Office
James Mendall, Technology Consultant The Supreme Court of Ohio
Unfortunately, in December 2021 this Program was dissolved due to a decline in delinquency filings of youth with significant substance use issues. The Court continues to provide individualized treatment and programming for these cases without the formality of a Specialized Docket Drug Court Program.