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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nThis tragic experience fuels Patterson\u2019s commitment to the program. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI do not want others to ever live through that horror. I\u2019ll do what I can to prevent it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 2017, a grant from the State of Tennessee and the invaluable participation of the South Central Human Resource Agency (SCHRA) enabled the establishment of Lincoln County Recovery Court. However, not everyone immediately believed in the program\u2019s potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMany of my law enforcement friends were not too sure about the program… But when when they learned more about how the program works and saw positive, life-changing results in our participants, their minds were quickly changed,\u201d Myrick explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Myrick and Patterson credit SCHRA for their role in sustaining the program. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe simply would not have recovery court without SCHRA. They obtain our grants, provide offices, provide treatment space, and pay our recovery court coordinators. SCHRA is the core of recovery court,\u201d said Myrick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Patterson agreed and said, \u201cSCHRA shoulders the weight of this program.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n First United Methodist Church is another important source of support for the program. The church sponsors Celebrate Recovery, a Christian-based 12-step program, and hosts graduations and other events for recovery court.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cParticipants in our program often seek support groups to attend. Celebrate Recovery is one of the support groups that many choose to engage with, and it has been instrumental in the lives of many participants,\u201d Patterson said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In Lincoln County, where addiction treatment resources are severely limited, the recovery court program relies heavily on its partnership with Centerstone. This collaboration, supported by a grant, enables access to essential mental health services, including intensive outpatient programs and relapse prevention. <\/p>\n\n\n\n According to Patterson, without Centerstone\u2019s support, the program would struggle to provide the necessary treatment options. The absence of local sober living facilities and limited recovery meetings highlights the challenges faced by participants returning from more resource-rich environments. However, this partnership has been instrumental in addressing those gaps and fostering growth in Lincoln County\u2019s recovery infrastructure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Myrick stated, \u201cWe are a rural community, so our treatment resources are not as great as the larger cities. Our biggest challenge is sober housing \u2014 safe places for our participants to live where they will not be exposed to drug or alcohol use. [As Alcoholics Anonymous teaches,] changing \u2018people, places, and things\u2019 is critical for a person in recovery.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Community awareness continues to grow through the tireless efforts of those entrenched in the local recovery court.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Patterson reported, \u201cWe\u2019ve attempted to increase public awareness and acceptance of recovery and addiction through various avenues. We have started the annual recovery fest, which, this year, had approximately 500 in attendance. We are active with the Lincoln County Anti-Drug Coalition and work to promote recovery every chance we get. Additionally, we engage in presentations for organizations when asked.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The program now has three courts: two of them in Lincoln County and felony courts in Lawrence and Maury counties. Recovery court proves to be life-changing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe have gained more community support as people witness the lives changed by recovery court. People have gotten their lives back. Families have been reunited. Crime has been reduced. Our program is small. We only have about 25 or so participants at a time, and the program can take up to a year or more, so that affects the impact some. But, even if just one life or family is saved, the benefit is immeasurable,\u201d said Myrick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It has infused hope.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI also do criminal court, civil court, and juvenile court. Recovery court is the most rewarding aspect of my work. Another judge once told me he would have quit long ago if it were not for recovery court, which gave him hope,\u201d said Myrick. \u201cFew things are more rewarding than to see a person completely turn their life around, getting their children back, starting careers, opening businesses, and going on to help and counsel others fighting addiction. The last I checked, recovery courts enjoy a 70% non-recidivism rate of their graduates.\u201d The local rate, according to Patterson, is approximately 85%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Lincoln County Courthouse, once a revolving door for addiction-related offenses, is a threshold of hope. Through the recovery court, its partners, and the community\u2019s support, a network of resources now extends far beyond the courtroom walls. The program chips away with each graduate at the stigma surrounding addiction, replacing despair with possibility. As former defendants become mentors and advocates, Lincoln County Recovery Court is reshaping the community\u2019s approach to addiction, one person at a time. GN<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In Lincoln County’s courthouse, addiction\u2019s grip tightened relentlessly. Judge Andy Myrick’s docket overflowed with repeat offenders, their charges a stark reflection of substance abuse’s grip on the community. Theft cases multiplied as desperate individuals sought ways to fund their next fix. In juvenile court, confused children faced removal from homes where addiction replaced parental care.\u00a0 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":23495,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23493","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stories"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/goodnewsmags.com\/fayetteville\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2024\/12\/2-1024x683.png\")
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