James Valley Drug & DUI Court will hold a graduation ceremony on Thursday, July 11, 2024, at 2:30 p.m. CDT in the courtroom at the Davison County Public Safety Center, 1015 S. Miller Ave., Mitchell. The featured speaker will be Natasha Gonzalez, a former graduate of James Valley Drug & DUI Court.
With their friends and family in attendance, participants who have gone through this intensive program and have successfully completed all phases will be honored. The event is open to the public, media and cameras. A reception will follow the graduation ceremony.
James Valley Drug Court began operation in 2013, adding a DUI Court track in 2014. The mission is to provide community-based rehabilitation through the use of intensive treatment and supervision to stop the cycle of repeat offenders and substance use disorders, thereby creating safer communities and reducing the cost of corrections.
South Dakota Problem-Solving Courts are referred to as treatment courts and include veterans court, drug court, DUI court and mental health court. These courts have proven that a combination of supervision, treatment and support can lead people with substance use and/or mental health disorders into lives of stability, wellness and recovery. Learn more about South Dakota’s treatment courts at https://ujs.sd.gov/Circuit_Court/Problem_Solving_Courts/Default.aspx.