Alberta Justice Minister Kaycee Madu will be making an announcement on Friday to provide details about an initiative to provide addiction treatment supports and help reduce drug-related crime in Grande Prairie.
The announcement is expected to centre around drug treatment courts, as Madu will be joined at the conference by members of the judiciary, drug treatment court representatives, and a drug treatment court graduate. Also on hand will be Finance Minister and Grande Prairie—Wapiti MLA Travis Toews, Grande Prairie MLA Tracy Allard, and Deputy Mayor of Grande Prairie Wade Pilat.
A drug treatment court is a 12 to 18-month program that requires participants to plead guilty to a drug-related charge before attending any inpatient treatment.
They then submit weekly reports to a judge, while being subjected to random drug tests and doing community service. Similar programs are already in place in places like Calgary and Edmonton, and Lethbridge.
The four-part program includes lengthy, and in-depth sections like intensive treatment, developing recovery skills, and community transition. Officials believe it also helps break any potential cycles of crime or relapse, as participants must also obtain approved housing and employment before graduating.
