September 28, 2021
By: Dwayne Page
A celebration was held Tuesday afternoon for two adults who have graduated from the DeKalb County Recovery Court Program and are on the path to sober living.
The program for recovery court graduates Larry Murphy and Michael Powell was held on the east side steps of the DeKalb County Courthouse.
Each of the graduates received a plaque and a $50 check from General Sessions and Juvenile Court Judge Bratten Cook, II in recognition of their accomplishments.
“Our uplifting graduation is evidence of the tremendous impact the DeKalb County Recovery Court has had on our community. It will send a powerful message that these programs are vital to the health and well being of our state. There are more than 4,000 treatment courts serving 150,000 people saving billions of dollars reducing addiction, crime, and recidivism. What an honor that Judge Bratten H. Cook has started and continued this program in our county. These graduates chose recovery court and we are privileged to be able to recognize them today,” said DeKalb County Recovery Court Coordinator Kate Arnold.
Recovery Court is an alternative sentencing program that gives local, non-violent offenders with substance use disorder the opportunity to complete an intense one year plus court supervised recovery program.
Participants undergo rigorous treatment for their disease and develop new habits for successful living. The program combines evidence-based substance use treatment with strict behavioral accountability and ultimately reduces the harmful effects of repeated and untreated addiction problems on the citizens of DeKalb County.
“When we take a participant into the Recovery Court program I let them know, if you want the easy way out just go on down and lay in jail because that is the easy way. You get three hots and a cot (three hot meals a day and a cot to sleep on) and you don’t have to do anything but you will come out the same or worse than when you went in. If you want to change your life then we are here to help you,” said Judge Cook.
The program opened with a prayer by John Quintero of Haven of Hope and a welcome by DeKalb Recovery Court Coordinator Kate Arnold. The guest speaker was Larry Latzman, certified peer specialist who works at Volunteer Behavior Health.
(DeKalb Recovery Court Team Members pictured left to right: Rhonda Tiefenauer- Recovery Court Case Manager, Allison West-Assistant Public Defender, Clara Knowles-PSI Probation; Kate Arnold-Coordinator; Larry Latzmanm Certified Peer Support; graduates Michael Powell and Larry Murphy, Judge Bratten H. Cook, II, Local attorney and Smithville Municipal Judge Gayla Hendrix, and John and Kay Quintero with Haven of Hope)