For Immediate Release: August 20, 2008
Contact: Friends of the Maui Drug Court friendsmauidrugcourt@gmail.com
Friends of the Maui Drug Court awarded $5,000 grant by Dowling Community Improvement Foundation
WAILUKU, Hawai`i – Friends of the Maui Drug Court has received a $5,000 grant from the Dowling Community Improvement Foundation, FMDC President S. Larry Schlesinger, M.D., announced today.
FMDC was founded in 1998 to advocate for the creation of a Drug Court within the State of Hawai`i's Second Circuit Court, based in Wailuku. The Drug Court model, which was initiated in Miami-Dade County, Fla., in 1989, provides non-violent offenders an opportunity to avoid or minimize incarceration upon completion of an intensive, judicially supervised substance abuse treatment program.
As a result of FMDC's advocacy, the Drug Court commenced operations in 2000. Since then, FMDC's mission has been to provide critical ancillary services to support the rehabilitation of Drug Court clients, including milestone awards, medical and dental treatment and child care. Two hundred seventy former defendants have graduated from the Maui/Moloka`i Drug Court.
"We thank the Dowling Community Improvement Foundation for its support of Friends of the Maui Drug Court as we continue to help the Maui/Moloka`i Drug Court break the cycle of substance abuse and crime in Maui County," Dr. Schlesinger said. "Drug Court is a highly cost-efficient program. It is gratifying that prominent community members recognize the importance of effectively addressing the problems of substance abuse and crime by providing significant financial assistance."
Since its inception three years ago, the Dowling Community Improvement Foundation has donated more than $2.6 million to Maui community organizations. Grant applications are available at http://www.dowlingco.com/.
More information about Friends of the Maui Drug Court and the Maui/Moloka`i Drug Court is available at http://mauidrugcourt.info/.
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