Colleton County

The 14TH Circuit Solicitor's Office Prosecutes Felony Offenses in a Five-county Area of South Carolina's Lowcountry. It Also Operates a Multidisciplinary Court, Providing a Post-adjudicatory Alternative to Prison for Qualified Offenders With Substance Use and Co-occurring Disorders. Project Activities Would Increase Program Capacity and Expand the Continuum of Care by Supporting In-house Mental Health and Substance Use Counselors. the Solicitor's Office Has Operated Multidisciplinary Court in Beaufort County Since 2009, With Graduation Rates Approaching 90% and Recidivism Rates of 35% or Lower. However, Availability of Mental Health Treatment Is Not Sufficient to Assist All Drug Court Participants With Co-occurring Disorders. the Situation Is Yet More Dire in the Other Counties, Which Are Rural and Economically Disadvantaged and Where the Non-white Population Exceeds the State Average. in Fact, in Two of Those Counties, Black/african-americans Constitute a Population Majority. Expected Outcomes Include Increasing Program Capacity So That 160 Additional Participants Are Served Over Four Years; Provision of Evidence-based Services; Recidivism Reduction Where the Program Is Already in Place; and Regular Program Assessments.