LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — A pilot program in Kentucky is allowing certain people on trial to go through treatment instead of jail.
It’s launching in 11 counties, including Oldham County.
Qualifying offenders will be ordered by a judge during pre-trial if they have a substance abuse disorder or a mental health disorder. Within 72 hours, they’ll have an in-depth assessment to figure out what type of treatment is needed.
Treatment includes what organizers call wrap-around services, with job placement and housing. It can last a minimum of one year, but can last as long as the sentence.
Participants have to be low-level offenders, so they are considered low-risk for new criminal activity.
The program has already started in Letcher County.
“One of the reasons that we started in Letcher County was because the providers were basically saying ‘Look, we are so invested in this and the judge was so invested in this that they wanted to go ahead and get started without worrying about the funding,” said Angela Darcy, pre-trial services executive officer.
They ware waiting for the $10.5 million to fund the program in order to launch in 10 more counties.
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