On Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2015, Judge Kay Kuns will host a commencement ceremony to honor 20 graduates of the Proposition 36 Treatment Court.
The graduation will begin at 1:30 p.m. at the Santa Maria Veterans Memorial Building located at 313 West Tunnel Street.
The 20 graduates have successfully completed the 6-month treatment program and have maintained sobriety.
Graduates will receive certificates of completion and will be given an opportunity to speak about their experience in the Prop. 36 program. A reception will immediately follow the ceremony.
Proposition 36, The Substance Abuse and Crime Prevention Act (SACPA), was passed by California voters in November 2000 and implemented in July 2001. Under Prop. 36, defendants are sentenced to a minimum of 6 months of treatment, probation supervision and multiple court reviews.
The program promotes sobriety, recovery and stability. Successful completion may result in dismissal of charges and early termination of probation.
The court program is multi-departmental collaboration of Superior Court; probation; the Offices of the Public Defender and the District Attorney; the Department of Alcohol, Drug, and Mental Health Services; UC Santa Barbara and the Sheriff’s Department.
The month of September marks National Recovery Month. On Sept. 2, following the Prop. 36 graduation ceremony and reception, the treatment community will celebrate National Recovery Month.
Recovery Day 2015: A Celebration of Families in Recovery will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. at Buena Vista Park located at 406 West Morrison Avenue in Santa Maria.
The event is open to the public. Recovery Day 2015 is a community-wide collaboration to promote the societal benefits of prevention, treatment and recovery.
To learn more about Treatment Courts including resources, legislation and statistics, visit www.nadcp.org.
To learn more about National Recovery Month visit www.recoverymonth.gov.
— Kristina Brumbaugh is the public information officer for the Santa Barbara County Probation Department.