Lawrence County is hoping to turn the lives around for drug offenders in their community. The county’s first-ever drug court began on Thursday and joins more than one hundred others in the state of Ohio.

The newly-developed drug court, called the Nexus Recovery Docket, is a specialized docket that is recognized by the Ohio Supreme Court. The goal is to offer a therapeutic alternative to normal court proceedings for people struggling with drug abuse. 

“The theory right now is to identify the root cause of the problem,” said Andy Ballard, Court of Common Pleas Judge in Lawrence County. “Let’s address the root cause, hold the individual accountable and, in hopes, start to combat the level of addiction that’s in the community.”

The drug court will only be available for non-violent, low-level felony offenders. It will help with things like recovery from addiction, helping with job searches, and getting families back together.

According to Ballard, the drug court will have no additional costs for the county, because every person on the treatment team is a volunteer. 

The Lawrence County drug court will be held on the first and third Thursdays of each month at 1:30 p.m.