COLUMBUS, Ind. – At its work session Monday evening, the Bartholomew County Council heard a presentation from Circuit Court judge Kelly Benjamin, Columbus Regional Health Vice President for Community Partnerships Julie Abedian, and Prosecutor Bill Nash regarding two substance abuse initiatives for which some funding is still needed.
One initiative is the Fresh Start residential recovery center for mothers with addictions who have children under the age of five. The center is to be operated by Volunteers of America. After grants from the CHR Foundation and the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority, $200,000 is needed to open the center.
The other request was for a court specifically established to handle drug cases where suspects charged are nonviolent, high-need, and facing Level 5 or Level 6 felonies. The Adult Drug Treatment Court would use a non-adversarial, holistic approach that is focused on recovery. Benjamin and Nash told the council that $92,000 is needed for 2019 funding.
The council responded favorably to the requests and both will be voted on at the council’s next official meeting on February 18.