Funding will provide services to 80 participants over next four years
~ Press release provided by Page County government
LURAY — The Page County Recovery Court received a $1 million federal grant that will be used to enhance and expand treatment and supervision services.
The funding, awarded by the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance, will be used over the next four years to offer services to at least 80 adult participants (20 each year) who are accepted to the drug treatment program. Funding is also earmarked to expand enrollment opportunities for high-risk and high-need offenders, bolster treatment curriculum and improve access to complimentary services.
“This funding is essential to keeping the recovery court going in Page County,” said the county’s recovery court coordinator Holly Williams. “It is imperative that we have an intensive treatment program that offers these resources.”
Since launching in August 2021, the Page County Recovery Court has seen 38 participants and 16 graduates. The program requires between 15 and 18 months to complete, with participants completing weekly drug screenings, therapy, case reviews and work with probation officers. According to a 2023 evaluation, the Page County program saw a 72.7 percent retention rate — more than 20 percentage points higher than the state’s rate of 49.6 percent.
Williams underscored that each participant saves the county about $4,600 annually, based on incarceration costs. Taking into account the average number of participants each year, the program as a whole saves the county more than $69,000 each year.
Most importantly, said Williams, the Page County Recovery Court provides participation with an opportunity to earn a second chance and improve their lives — a sentiment echoed by Page County Administrator Amity Moler.
“Page County offering this resource has been life-changing for many of the participants,” she said. “It’s reassuring to know it will continue.”
For more information on Page County Courts,
visit https://www.pagecounty.virginia.gov/150/Courts
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