The selection process is highly competitive and applicants are reviewed and chosen by the Bureau of Justice Assistance and the National Drug Court Institute. Our jurisdiction is extraordinarily fortunate to have this training opportunity to assist the CNMI in planning and operating a drug court program.
Each jurisdiction is required to send an eight member team from the CNMI’s criminal justice network, each from different disciplines. Each team is comprised of one judge, one prosecutor, one public defender, one law enforcement officer, one probation officer, one counselor or treatment provider, one team researcher, and a team coordinator. Every team member is required to provide a letter of intent to the NDCI which promises their full commitment and attendance throughout the training process. The work and responsibilities of the team participants has already begun and they have pledged to do all they can to create a court specifically designed to address addiction in our community.
In addition to the intensive training the team will receive to establish and manage an effective drug court, the team will learn invaluable information regarding grant writing and grant opportunities for, among other things, the care and treatment of addicts. In addition, the team will have an opportunity to make vital connections with other drug court providers that will no doubt prove useful in the implementation of our local drug court.
The NDCI provides each team with a travel scholarship, which for most jurisdictions, is more than enough to fund their expenses. However, our jurisdiction’s unique location creates challenges to securing adequate funding. The NDCI, understanding how much our jurisdiction needs help coping with the effects of methamphetamine and alcohol in our community, has provided additional funding beyond its maximum scholarship award to help the CNMI attend the training. With the support of Gov. Benigno R. Fitial, the team remains optimistic that they will be able to secure the small remaining necessary funds.
This is a unique opportunity for the commonwealth that should not be missed. This training has the potential to forever change the direction of our community and provide the resources and assistance that is desperately needed to cope with the serious and increasing drug problem in our community.
