Although the details have yet to be worked out, the judges of Lucas County Common Pleas Court have voted to move forward with the creation of two certified drug courts.

Administrative Judge Stacy Cook said she is working on preliminary guidelines for the specialized docket, which would offer a therapeutically oriented approach to supervising and treating drug-addicted defendants who come before the court on nonviolent felonies. She hopes to present the plan to her fellow judges in January and begin the precertification process with the Ohio Supreme Court.

Judge Cook, who uses in her own courtroom some of the same practices a drug court offers, said the idea is to take a less adversarial approach with individuals whose drug addiction has led them to criminal activity.

“You’re more engaged one-on-one with the defendants,” she said. “You’re looking at their individual needs and closely monitoring their situation.”

While the 10 common pleas judges have been discussing ways to address the spike in heroin usage and overdose deaths for some time, Judge Frederick McDonald said “a strong majority” of the judges agreed that seeking certification with the Ohio Supreme Court for a drug court would be beneficial, in part because grants are available to help pay for the programs.

He said Lucas County has devoted significant resources over the years to addressing drug addiction through its Correctional Treatment Facility and other programs.

“I think we do a good job addressing opiate problems, but we’re going to see if we can do a better job,” he said.

Among the requirements of the Ohio Supreme Court are the creation of an advisory board as well as a drug court team that would include a judge, prosecutor, defense attorney, mental health or drug treatment specialist, and a probation officer.

The specialized docket will require additional staff at the court and its probation department and electronic monitoring office. A request for additional staff was included in the court’s 2015 budget request, but not approved.

Judge Gene Zmuda, a member of the court’s budget committee, said he anticipates meeting with county commissioners early in the new year to talk about “modifying our budget because there will be additional personnel needed.”

Judge Zmuda said he hopes the creation of two drug courts and the adoption of many of its practices by the remaining eight courts could “save lives, have more successful stories, and turn lives around.”

First Published December 19, 2014, 5:00 a.m.