Brunswick Co. treatment court gets $975,000 grant

BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — A court program designed to help drug users get the treatment they need instead of just locking them up is getting a big financial boost.

The Brunswick County Treatment Courts has received a $975,000 federal grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

“This is an awesome opportunity for the citizens of Brunswick County,” Senior Resident Superior Court Judge Ola Lewis, who helped start the county’s treatment court program in 2008, said in a news release. “The grant will allow the Treatment Courts to expand in terms of participants and services provided. This means greater treatment opportunities, continued reduced rates of recidivism and safer communities.”

The goal of treatment courts is to provide rehab and other alternatives to jail time to help people get over their drug problem and reduce the number of crimes connected to drugs.

The grant will be distributed over a three-year period.