KALISPELL — Thanks to grant funding from the Montana Opioid Abatement Trust, an Adult Drug Treatment Court is coming to Flathead County for the first time.
“Statewide, what we’ve seen is that it has been pretty effective and there has been a significant decrease in recidivism,” said Judge Danni Coffman.
The Montana Eleventh Judicial District Court in Flathead County will soon launch an Adult Drug Treatment Court for felony defendants who have likely pleaded guilty to a drug-related crime.
“Essentially offers — instead of incarceration or something of that nature — it provides them with treatment,” said Coffman.
Learn more about the Adult Drug Treatment Court coming to Flathead County:
Coffman said participants will go through an intensive program lasting anywhere from 18 to 24 months.
“They will be seeing their treatment provider, they will likely be seeing probation and parole, they will be getting random drug tests, it’s going to very intensive.”
Coffman said the new drug court is made possible thanks to $231,000 in grant funding through the Montana Opioid Abatement Trust.
That money will fund the court for the next two years.
“At which time we hope to receive either federal grant money or become part of the state budget,” said Coffman.
Coffman said drug court is expected to launch and start accepting participants by the end of 2025.
“We’re really hoping to help people get completely on their feet.”
Coffman said drug court will meet on a weekly basis and demand high accountability from participants.
The court will be staffed by a collaborative, multidisciplinary team that includes District Court Judge Coffman, Coordinator Terri Gordon, treatment provider Oxytocin/Pam Liccardi, Probation and Parole Officer Shelly Dargan, Managing Public Defender Alisha Rapkoch, County Attorney Travis Ahner, and the Flathead County Undersheriff Luke Foster.
“Our state as a whole understands that we really need to be doing more than just punishing people and then hoping for the best when their time served ends,” said Coffman.
