Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Maui TV News reports on A&B Foundation's generous grant


The story is about 18 minutes into the video.

Mahalo to Maui TV News!

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Friends of the Maui Drug Court Receives $2,000 From Bank of Hawaii

For Immediate Release: December 9, 2008

Contact: Friends of the Maui Drug Court friendsmauidrugcourt@gmail.com

Friends of the Maui Drug Court Receives $2,000 From Bank of Hawaii

KAHULUI, Hawai`i – Friends of the Maui Drug Court has received a $2,000 donation from the Bank of Hawaii Charitable Foundation to support its services to Drug Court clients, FMDC President S. Larry Schlesinger, M.D., announced today.

Schlesinger and FMDC Administrative Assistant David Raatz received the grant from Kevin Baptist, Bank of Hawaii's Senior Vice President and Maui Region and Island Manger, in a ceremony at Bankoh's Wailuku branch last month.

"We are grateful for this significant grant from the Bank of Hawaii Charitable Foundation," Schlesinger said. "This donation provides important operational support to FMDC, allowing us to efficiently fulfill our mission of helping the Drug Court break the cycle of substance abuse and crime in Maui County."

The Maui/Molokai Drug Court provides a continuum of intervention, treatment and prevention programs aimed at reducing substance abuse and its devastating impact on Maui County families and community resources. The Drug Court provides non-violent offenders an opportunity to avoid or minimize incarceration upon completion of an intensive, judicially supervised substance abuse treatment program.

Since the Drug Court commenced operations in 2000, FMDC has provided critical ancillary services to support the rehabilitation of Drug Court clients, including milestone awards, medical and dental treatment and child care. Nearly 300 former defendants have graduated from the Maui/Moloka`i Drug Court.

More information about Friends of the Maui Drug Court and the Maui/Moloka`i Drug Court is available at http://mauidrugcourt.info/.

PHOTO CAPTION: Pictured from left to right:

Dr. S. Larry Schlesinger, President, Friends of the Maui Drug Court; Kevin Baptist, Bank of Hawaii – Senior Vice President and Maui Region and Island Manager; David Raatz,Administrative Assistant, Friends of the Maui Drug Court.

Friday, December 5, 2008

NFL player Matt Jones commits to success in drug court

"Drug court program reunites parents with children"

From Saturday's Shreveport (La.) Times:

Caddo started its Family Drug Court program about four years ago.

"There was just a need for it," said Linda Van Zile, court coordinator. "In 80 percent or so of abuse cases, there are drugs involved."

The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse estimates substance abuse contributes to up to 70 percent of child maltreatment cases.

"Treatment needs community support"

From Thursday's edition of The News-Review in Roseburg, Oregon:

Drug court, which helps non-violent drug offenders across the country commit to rigorous treatment in lieu of prison, has reduced to less than 10 percent relapses into criminal behavior by addicts.

Monday, December 1, 2008

Friends of the Maui Drug Court awarded $5,000 grant by Alexander & Baldwin Foundation

For Immediate Release: December 1, 2008

Contact: Friends of the Maui Drug Court friendsmauidrugcourt@gmail.com

Friends of the Maui Drug Court awarded $5,000 grant by Alexander & Baldwin Foundation

KAHULUI, Hawai`i – Friends of the Maui Drug Court has received a $5,000 grant from the Alexander & Baldwin 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. Nearly 300 former defendants have graduated from the Maui/Moloka`i Drug Court.

"This major donation from the A&B Foundation will enable the Friends of the Maui Drug Court to provide critically important milestone awards and other support to Drug Court clients at key points in their recovery, including at Drug Court graduation," Schlesinger said. "This grant is the fifth provided to FMDC in the last decade. We are deeply grateful to the A&B Foundation for its steadfast backing of our effort to end the cycle of substance abuse and crime in Maui County."

The A&B Foundation is funded by the business activities of Alexander & Baldwin, Inc. and its subsidiaries. On Maui, those subsidiaries include Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Company (HC&S)/Maui Brand Sugar; East Maui Irrigation Company (EMI); Kahului Trucking & Storage Company; A&B Properties, Inc.; A&B Wailea LLC; and Matson Navigation Company.

In a letter to Schlesinger announcing the award, Stephen Holaday and Meredith J. Ching of the A&B Foundation stated: "It is a pleasure to be among your supporters, knowing that our funding will enable the Friends of the Maui Drug Court to support participants in their efforts to achieve a drug-free lifestyle." Ching is the A&B Foundation's president; Holaday, of HC&S, is a board member.

Chartered in 1992, the A&B Foundation has strived to provide a broad program of support in many areas of importance to the community, including the field of health and human services. A&B Foundation grant applications and annual reports are available at http://www.alexanderbaldwinfoundation.org/.

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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