Matthew Perry and Martin Sheen Fight Drug Addiction by Supporting Drug Court
Actor Martin Sheen has long been active in voicing support for drug court, an alternative to incarceration for those who are arrested on drug related, nonviolent charges. Joining him in the very visible fight for drug addiction treatment is Matthew Perry. Together, the two made an appearance at a National Association of Drug Court Professionals’ (NADCP) 17th Annual Drug Court Training Conference in July in an effort to rally support for their cause.
Why Sheen and Perry Promote Drug Court and Drug Addiction Treatment
Instead of wasting taxes on incarceration, Sheen and Perry point out that drug courts save taxpayer funds by spending less on drug rehab, which in turn saves money on drug-related crimes and further prosecution when the addicted party inevitably gets out of jail and returns to his old behavior. As it stands, those who are prosecuted for nonviolent, drug related crimes like drug possession or buying illicit drugs, legal fines and jail time is the standard in districts where there is no drug court option. In jail, they often meet more people who can supply them with drugs on the outside, lose time at work or school, lose positive relationships with non-drug using friends, and ultimately sink deeper into the world of addiction. If given drug addiction treatment instead, they can learn how to live without drugs and alcohol and have a fighting chance at starting over.
Veterans and Drug Addiction Treatment Through Drug Court
Veterans – especially those suffering with physical disabilities and mental health issues after combat – are a big focus of the conference and the direction that drug courts are taking. In order to make sure that our country’s wounded get the help they need to fight drug addiction, a drug court specifically for veterans is one of the new topics of discussion.
West Huddleston is CEO of NADCP. He says: “Drug courts work better than any other justice program, the fact that 75 percent of all graduates from drug court remain arrest free and out of jail is a number that cannot be ignored. This conference is a great opportunity to show Congress that drug courts are a proven budget solution that saves money, cuts crime and serves veterans; they are crucial to criminal justice reform efforts.”
If you would like to avoid incarceration or if you have been mandated by a judge to attend drug rehab and you’re looking for the best drug addiction treatment program possible, contact us at Michael’s House. We can help you fulfill your court order – or avoid standing in front of a judge altogether – when drug addiction is an issue. Call now.
09/06/11
To: To whom it may concern
From: Joan Bills – A Mother Seeking help for her daughter
Re: 90 Day Inpatient Drug (Heroin), dual diagnosis treatment
I am hoping that you or someone you know or some association you may know of may have the connections to get my 21 year old daughter into a 90 day inpatient drug treatment program. From my research these run from $10,000.00 to $45,000.00, money we do not have. We do not have a home to mortgage or anything of value to sell.
I’m sure you get letters like this all the time, I pray that you take the time to read this, I have proof that it is all true.
My name is Joan Bills and I have a daughter Patricia Bills who has been a heroin addict for over 2 years. She is currently 30 plus days clean, but is at a teetering on a very fragile line. Her father and I have spent everything we have expect for a very small portion of our retirement fund. She admitted herself into Salt Lake Behavioral health 30 days a go to detox, she wants to be done. She has no job, no insurance. She was at Salt Lake Behavioral Health for 7 days, the bill is over 14,000.00. She also has other mental issues from being molested in Junior High and raped in High School. My daughter needs 90 day in patient treatment, but we do not have the funds to help her. I am begging and pleading for my daughters life. If she doesn’t get help I’m afraid she will relapse. If there is anywhere in the US that takes special cases like this, we could find a way to get her there, and she is wanting and willing to go, we are not making this decision, she is.
There is so much more to her story. We have always been a hard working middle class family, but our life started to turn upside down in the middle of 2010. I have worked since I was 16 years old with never more than a month in lapse of employment, In July of 2010 I get laid off from my job of the previous7 years. In September of 2010 I dropped a knife on my foot while doing the dishes and cut the tendon to my big toe and had to have surgery two days later. Just as I am getting home from the hospital and getting into bed, my daughter and her boyfriend pulled in the drive way and my daughter went into a grand mal seizure, she had never had a seizure before in her life. She spent 14 days hospitalized, and after every test known to man being ran on her they determined that she had damage to the frontal lobe of her brain. This part of the brain controls stress. She is on anti anxiety meds and doing fairly well. Two days after coming home from the hospital, she fell in the shower and broke her wrist. Wait, it gets better, On October 8, 2010 we were on our way to the financial aid department of the hospital to see what help we could get with all her medical bills, as she has no insurance, and we get rear ended on the freeway. Of course the stress sends her into a seizure, and my back is seriously damaged. On August 4th I had back surgery from the car accident we were in last October.
Life has thrown us a lot of curve balls over the past year. We are a strong loving family, we have worked hard all our lives. We are out of funds, we have mounting medical bills and my husband is the only one still working. ALL WE ARE IS ASKING FOR IS INPATIENT TREATMENT FOR OUR DAUGHTER. SHE WANTS IT, SHE NEEDS IT. I CAN’T SEE HER BEAUTIFUL LIFE GO TO WASTE.
PLEASE, I pray that there is someone out there that can help us.
Thank you for your time in considering my daughters case.
I hope to hear from you soon,
Joan Bills
12390 Redwood Road
Riverton, Utah 84065
801-254-3615