Nearly every community has struggled to address the needs and challenges posed by people struggling with addiction to drugs and alcohol, particularly when the addicted person commits nonviolent crimes to support themselves and their addiction. In Montgomery County, Maryland, Problem Solving Courts began in 2004 with the establishment of an Adult Drug Treatment Court in the Circuit Court after a multidisciplinary team led by then Circuit Court judge, the Hon. Nelson W. Rupp, completed a rigorous design and implementation process enabled by a federal grant. Properly implemented, problem solving courts have been proven extremely effective in reducing recidivism and, just as importantly, providing addicted individuals with a real chance to overcome their addiction and reclaim their lives as productive members of their families and of the community.

As a result of their long-term success, Montgomery County's Problem-Solving Courts have expanded to include: Mental Health Court in both District and Circuit Courts and DUI Court. Judge Rupp has since retired but continues to sit on Problem Solving Court dockets. Since then, he has been joined by judges in Circuit and District Court who are dedicated to the success of problem-solving court participants.  Their work, along with the work of prosecutors, attorneys, treatment providers, and case managers, has been profoundly transformational for over 325 participants who have successfully completed problem solving court programs in Montgomery County since 2004. 

The challenges many participants face cannot be addressed by staffing support alone—and budgeting for courts is strictly designated.  Too often, when a participant leaves the pretrial release facility or inpatient treatment center, they have no place to go, no job, and no possessions other than the clothes on their backs. Without additional support, they find themselves back on the street or staying with people whose lifestyles re-expose them to drugs and alcohol. They need the support that can allow them to focus on their recovery and transition to productivity.

 Montgomery’s Miracles, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, was founded in 2005 to help meet such emergency and transitional needs and to provide educational opportunities for participants who are succeeding in the problem-solving court programs in Montgomery County.  Using funds donated by potential jurors, grants, and individual donations, Montgomery's Miracles has met these needs by:

• funding the costs of two sober living houses dedicated to problem solving court participants re-entering the community

• providing emergency food, clothing, and hygiene products on release

• providing GED support and scholarships for both vocational training and coursework

• providing funding for basic employment equipment or uniforms in advance of first paychecks

• funding emergency dental work or partial support of dentures

• funding Metro fare cards and transport to and from treatment, court hearings, and to job sites in advance of first paychecks

• funding incentives awarded during court hearings for progress and successes

The need is great.  The requests are modest but can change lives. For every request for assistance that Montgomery's Miracles is able to grant to participants who are striving, others must be denied simply because of the limited availability of funding.  With your donation, you can help increase the odds of these participants' success, improve the resilience of their families and our communities, and strengthen our county's response to behavioral health needs. 

Please, won't you help save these lives?

For more information about Montgomery County's Problem Solving Courts, please see:  Problem Solving Courts - Montgomery County, MD Circuit Court