ONDCP Policy Analyst Addresses Reclaiming Futures Judges

Tackling adolescent substance abuse isn’t getting any easier, what with shrinking budgets for treatment and support services and trends like the rise in prescription drug abuse. So I was pleased to have the opportunity to see Charlotte Sisson (shown at left), Policy Analyst for the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), give an informal address to a group of Reclaiming Futures judges over lunch at a judicial training in Greensboro, NC on August 28th. 

Ms. Sisson reviewed funding increases for prevention and treatment included by the new administration in the 2010 budget. Specifically, she talked about additional monies made available for addressing drug issues in the criminal justice system, such as an increase from roughly $23.9 million to $58.9 million in funding for problem-solving courts; another $59 million for the Bureau of Justice Assistance to support enhancement of drug courts as well as other problem-solving courts; and additional funds to support quality treatment within the adult correctional system.
 
In addition, Ms. Sisson carried a message of collaboration and inclusion as she discussed how the ONDCP is going about creating a new national drug control strategy. The national strategy is the responsibility of the ONDCP – which coordinates and oversees drug-focused efforts of 11 federal agencies -- and is due for presentation to Congress in February 2010.
 
While Ms. Sisson expected that the priorities in the new strategy will continue to be divided among prevention, treatment, and drug supply reduction, she emphasized that the Office is emphasizing inclusion and collaboration. In that spirit, she asked judges to communicate their ideas about priorities that ONDCP should consider.
 
Got ideas of your own for what the administration’s priorities in its national drug control strategy should be? Feel free to give your feedback at www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov.
 
Ms. Sisson also reported that the Office is working hard on its proposed budget for 2011. In the current economic environment, that’s got to be a difficult task; but I’m hopeful that we’ll see items specifically aimed at addressing adolescent substance abuse in the juvenile justice system.