Commentary: All Rise America! It’s National Drug Court Month

All Rise America! It’s National Drug Court Month. The National Association of Drug Court Professionals (NADCP) is thrilled to announce that we are once again hitting the road this May to celebrate National Drug Court Month with an epic cross-country RV tour of Drug Courts, Veterans Treatment Courts and DWI Courts. All Rise America! will travel over 3,500 miles coast-to-coast to shine a spotlight on communities that prove addicted people belong in treatment, not prison, and that Drug Courts, DWI Courts and Veterans Treatment Courts are the solution for saving lives, reuniting families and making communities safer.

Every stop along the route of All Rise America! will feature events at local treatment courts and highlight inspiring stories of justice reform and personal recovery. Our goal is for every person in America to know about the incredible transformations that take place day in and day out in America’s Drug Courts, DWI Courts and Veterans Treatment Courts. Along the way we will pass the ceremonial All Rise Gavel, a symbol that when one person rises out of addiction and finds recovery, we All Rise. Celebrities and national policymakers are scheduled to appear at events along the route.

Drug Court Graduation in Santa Maria, California

We kicked things off a few days early with an incredible Drug Court and Veterans Treatment Court graduation in Santa Maria, CA yesterday. You can see video and pictures of this and every event on the All Rise America! blog, www.AllRiseAmerica.org.

All Rise America! is not just about the 50 Drug Courts, DWI Courts and Veteran Treatment Courts we will connect with while on the road. This is a celebration of the collective impact that over 2,700 treatment courts have on millions of people who suffer with addiction, mental illness and trauma. It is a celebration for each and every person who believes that treatment, not prison, is where addicted people belong. But it is also a call to action. Every American should be aware of the miracle of Drug Courts. And when they are asked if there is a Drug Court in their town, they should demand that answer be “YES!”

There are several ways to be a part of All Rise America!

Follow every mile on the All Rise America! blog – At each event we will post videos, pictures and updates about the incredible communities we visit. Check in often.

Get social – All month long we will have tons of content on our Facebook and Twitter pages. Make sure you share them and let people know that you support Drug Court.

All Rise America! is made possible by the generous contributions of its sponsors: Alcohol Monitoring Systems, Inc; Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics; and Alkermes. By supporting All Rise America!, these companies demonstrate incredible support for Drug Courts and other treatment courts. They are helping to ensure that individuals suffering from substance abuse disorders receive evidence-based treatment.

West Huddleston, CEO, National Association of Drug Court Professionals