Fontana Center for Change

Our Fontana Center for Change is just one of our highly successful Drug Court Programs. Individuals arrested for drug related crimes (excluding crimes of violence or major trafficking) are offered the choice of participation in drug court in lieu of jail time. Those who choose drug court must plead guilty to the crime, sign a waiver of their Fourth Amendment rights, and agree to participate in treatment for a minimum of 18 months. During that year and a half, they move through five phases of treatment, each one less restrictive than the previous phase.

At first, clients come to group five days a week, are tested three or four times a week and appear in court each week. With successful participation, this decreases until final phase clients are attending group twice a week and court once a month. They participate in outside self-help meetings (12 Step meetings or other recovery conducive meetings), community service activities, and social/recreational events. Our counselors assist them with obtaining education and provide referrals for vocational training, education and/or job placement services. Clients who do not succeed as outpatients might be placed in residential treatment then re-enter Drug Court after completion of in-patient treatment.

Treatment decisions are made by a court team, which includes the judge, probation officers, the treatment staff, a public defender, district attorney, and a variety of law enforcement officers. The team uses rewards/praise for successful clients and a variety of interventions for those who are not succeeding, including periods of jail time and referral to residential treatment.

There are formal graduation ceremonies to honor those that complete treatment successfully. Graduation requirements are six months drug and alcohol free, 182 groups and 12-Step or recovery based meetings, a full-time schedule before the end of treatment (full-time job or full-time school or a combination of the two), and graduation review with the presiding judge and drug court staff. In addition to enjoying successful graduation rates, the Drug Court Programs save the county money, and the time and jail space needed to house the violent criminal offenders.