2010 Drug, DUI and Mental Health Court Conference

JUDICIAL COUNCIL OF GEORGIA 

STANDING COMMITTEE ON DRUG COURTS 

2010 Drug, DUI and Mental Health 

Court Conference 

“Excellence and Innovation in 

Challenging Times” 

MAY 18 - 20, 2010 

WESTIN BUCKHEAD 

ATLANTA, GEORGIA

Judge George Kreeger 


CHAIR, STANDING COMMITTEE ON DRUG COURTS 

Welcome 

The Standing Committee on Drug Courts welcomes you to our Sixth Annual Drug, DUI 

and Mental Health Court Conference. We are excited to announce this year’s theme, 

“Excellence and Innovations in Challenging Times.” 

Accountability courts make a tremendous impact on Georgia’s families and are an 

effective alternative to incarceration for non-violent offenders. Every day, Georgia’s 

accountability courts sustain success, save lives and save money. 

The Conference Planning Committee, chaired by Judge Jeffrey S. Bagley of the Forsyth 

County Drug Court, has worked to insure that this year’s conference provides a 

variety of topics and sessions representing the best practices of accountability 

courts, substance abuse treatments and mental health communities. 

We hope that you will take this opportunity to network with other accountability 

court professionals from across Georgia. Use this time to learn, refresh, renew, and 

go home energized!

Chief Judge Jeffrey S. Bagley 


VICE-CHAIR, STANDING COMMITTEE ON DRUG COURTS 

Welcome 

On behalf of the Conference Planning Committee, welcome to this year’s Georgia 

Drug, DUI and Mental Health Court Conference. 

Once again this year we have chosen the Westin Buckhead to host our conference 

and we hope you enjoy your stay. The state of the art accommodations as well as the 

thought-provoking and relevant curriculum should make for a highly successful 

conference. 

It is the desire of our Committee to make this event better every year, so we listened 

to your comments and suggestions and utilized your feedback to improve and enhance 

this year’s schedule, curriculum and overall experience. We believe this year 

will be our best conference yet and we think you will agree. Enjoy the opportunity 

to get away, mingle with your peers and gather knowledge to empower your court!

Table of Contents 

Welcome Page 1 

Conference at a Glance Page 4 

Agenda Page 5 

Session Descriptions Page 8 

Presenter Biographies Page 17 

Sponsors Page 28 

Conference Center Map Back Cover 

LOGISTICS 

Continental breakfast, coffee and snack breaks are provided during the entire conference in the 

pre-function area of Ballrooms A, B, C and the Mezzanine. 

Please wear your conference name tag at all times. 

Meeting rooms may be cool to accommodate the large number of attendees. We encourage you 

to take a light jacket or sweater for your own comfort. 

For CLE, CJE, ICJE or POST credit hours please see the registration desk. For LCSW, LPC, GACA 

and general credit hours, please refer to the yellow form in your conference bag. 

As a convenience to our attendees, the hotel offers two complimentary computer kiosks for email 

and internet browsing in the main lobby next to the check-in desk. The business center is located 

on the 3rd floor in the Mezzanine area. 

“This project was supported by Grant No. 2009-DC-BX-0107 awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The Bureau of Justice 

Assistance is a component of the Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of 

Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the SMART Office, and the Office for Victims of Crime. 

Points of view or opinions in this document are those of the author and do not represent the official position or policies of the United 

States Department of Justice.”

Conference at a Glance 4 

Day One Tuesday, May 18, 2010 

10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Registration 

12:00 PM - 1:30 PM 

Welcome & Luncheon Plenary 

(Lunch Buffet Opens at 11:00 AM) 

1:30 PM - 1:45 PM Networking Break 

1:45 PM - 3:15 PM Breakout Session 1 



Day Two Wednesday, May 19, 2010 

8:30 AM - 9:00 AM 

Opening Remarks & Awards Presentation 

(Breakfast Buffet Opens at 7:30 AM) 

9:00 AM - 10:30 AM Opening Keynote 

10:30 AM - 10:45 AM Networking Break 

10:45 AM - 12:15 PM Breakout Session 3 

12:30 PM - 2:00 PM Luncheon & Plenary 





Day Three Thursday, May 20, 2010 

8:30 AM - 10:00 AM 

Closing Keynote Address 

(Breakfast Buffet Opens at 7:30 AM) 



12:00 PM Conference Adjourns

Agenda 5 

Tuesday, May 18, 2010 

10:00 AM Registration Opens Ballroom Pre-function 

11:00 AM Lunch Buffet Opens Ballroom Pre-function 

12:00 PM - 12:10 PM Presentation of Colors and Pledge of Allegiance Grand Ballroom 

Georgia State Patrol Honor Guard 

12:10 PM - 12:30 PM Welcome & Remarks Grand Ballroom 

Judge George Kreeger, Chair, Judicial Council of Georgia; 

Standing Committee on Drug Courts; Cobb County Drug Court 

12:30 PM - 1:30 PM Opening Keynote Grand Ballroom 

Putting a Drug Court Within Reach of Every American in Need 

Carson Fox, Director of Operations and Chief Counsel of 

the National Association for Drug Court Professionals 



1. From the Lab to the Courtroom: Keys to Effective Testimony Buckhead 2 

2. Hijacking the Brain 2.0 East/West Paces 

3. The Four Useful Tools to Become Successful at Habersham 

Deterring Today’s Youth from Drug Abuse 

4. Keeping Your Court from Becoming Case Law Buckhead 1 

- HIPPA/Confidentiality & Ethics 

5. Maintaining Judicial Independence in Drug Courts Chastain 

6. Building an Evaluation System Peachtree 

7. Promoting Awareness for Motivational Incentives (Part 1) Woodruff 



1. Prescription Drugs Ansley 

2. Data Collection and Program Advocacy Peachtree 

3. Handling a Diverse Mental Health Court Population/ East/West Paces 

Treatment Planning 

4 Inside the Adolescent Brain Buckhead 1 

5. Community Policing and Public Health Habersham 

6. Conversation with the Georgia Department of Labor Chastain 

7. Promoting Awareness for Motivational Incentives (Part 2) Woodruff 

8. Challenges in Drug Testing: Detection of Use of Buckhead 2 

Prescription and Street/Internet Drugs 

5:00 PM Dinner on your own

Agenda 6 

Wednesday, May 19, 2010 

7:30 AM Registration Opens & Continental Breakfast Ballroom Pre-function 

8:30 AM - 9:00 AM Opening Remarks & Awards Presentation Grand Ballroom 

Judge George Kreeger, Chair, Judicial Council of Georgia; 

Standing Committee on Drug Courts; Cobb County Drug Court 

9:00 AM - 10:30 AM Plenary Grand Ballroom 

Effective Treatment for 17 – 25 year olds 

Guy Wheeler, President, Guy A. Wheeler Group, P.A. 



1. Ask Not What Your Charitable Organization Peachtree 

Can Do For You - Tell It! 

2. New Drug Trends East/West Paces 

3. Department of Family and Children Services and Changing Policy Habersham 

4. Psychopharmacology-The Low Down on Street Drugs (Part 1) Buckhead 1 

5. Monitoring Alcohol Abstinence Using EtG/EtS Buckhead 2 

6. Theories/Resources for Trauma Treatment Chastain 

12:30 PM – 2:00 PM Luncheon Plenary Grand Ballroom 

National Trends and Deterrent Strategies for Prescription 

and Over the Counter Drug Abuse 

Gary Boggs, Executive Assistant, ODX Office of Diversion Control, DEA 


2:15 PM - 3:45 PM Breakout Session 4 - Breakout by Role 

1. Judge: Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC) and Buckhead 1 

Issues Relative to Drug Courts 

2. Coordinator: General Coordinators Meeting Woodruff 

3. Prosecutors/Public Defenders: Buckhead 2 

Prosecution and Defense Challenges 

4. Case Manager: Juggling Large Caseloads Peachtree 

5. Treatment Provider: Providing Effective Treatment Habersham 

Within the Judicial System 

6. Supervision/Law Enforcement: Appropriate Surveillance Methods Chastain 

7. Mental Health Court Teams: East/West Paces 

Current Issues for Mental Health Courts

Agenda 7 

Wednesday, May 19, 2010 (continued) 



1. Psychopharmacology-The Low Down on Street Drugs (Part 2) Buckhead 1 

2. Ensuring Sustainability: Grants and DATE Funds Peachtree 

3. 12 Step and Courts: Solutions & Spirituality Habersham 

4. How to Manage Drug Court and Stay in Compliance Within Chastain 

ASFA Timelines for Children in Foster Care 

5. When Sanctions and Incentives Don’t Work: Responding to East/West Paces 

Addiction-Driven Non-Compliance 

6. Essential Components of a Successful Drug Testing Program Buckhead 2 

7. Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics/Integrated Management Solutions Ansley 

5:30 PM Dinner on your own 

Thursday, May 20, 2010 

7:30 AM Registration Opens & Continental Breakfast Ballroom Pre-function 

8:30 AM - 10:00 AM Closing Plenary Grand Ballroom 

Fidelity to the 10 Key Components 

Judge Robert T. Russell, Buffalo City Drug Court 

10:00 AM - 10:30 AM Networking and Checkout Break 

10:30 AM – 12:00 PM Breakout Session 6 

1. Doing the Right Thing in the Right Way: Buckhead 1 

Evidence Based Treatment 

2. The Effect of Correcting Nutrition on Crime, Delinquency, Chastain 

Drug Abuse and Their Precursors: Intelligence, 

Academic Performance, and Mental Health 

3. The Impact of Maternal Substance Abuse on Child Development Woodruff 

4. Child Support Problem Solving Courts Peachtree 

5. Implementing Veterans Courts Habersham 

6. Partnership Between Probation and Drug Courts Ansley 

12:00 PM Conference Adjourns

Session Descriptions 8 


Opening Plenary 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM 

Putting a Drug Court Within Reach of Every American in Need 

Mr. Carson Fox, National Association for Drug Court Professionals 

With two decades of success, drug courts are present in every state and US territory and in more than one 

dozen nations throughout the world. Now, as we enter our third decade, our goal is to put a drug court within 

reach of every person in need. This isn’t a small task, but we are up to the challenge. With strong support from 

communities and state, local, and federal governments, along with more positive evaluative outcomes than any 

other intervention in justice system history, drug courts are ready to expand in scope to reach as many justiceinvolved 

addicted persons as is possible. 


Breakout Session 1 1:45 PM - 3:15 PM 

From the Lab to the Courtroom: Keys to Effective Testimony 

Dr. Leo Kadehjian, Independent Biomedical Consultant. 

Understand legal requirements for admissibility and evidentiary weight of lab drug test results. Describe personnel 

qualifications, chain of custody, drug testing technologies utilized, calibration and controls, and any proficiency 

test results. Describe drug test results (instrument print-out), their accuracy and reliability, and issues of 

cross-reactivity and predictive value. 

Hijacking the Brain 2.0 

Dr. Merrill Norton, University of Georgia College of Pharmacy, Department of Clinical and Administrative Pharmacy 

The development of the human brain is complicated in and of itself, but when you add the extra components of 

childhood physical and verbal abuse and the use of alcohol and drugs at an early age, then the impact on the development 

of the adolescent brain becomes more complex. The challenge of breaking through normal teen attitudes 

and tendencies has caused many professionals to burnout and/or seek other employment. What leads a 

teen to behave or act out in a way that is harmful to others, or put themselves in a potentially harmful situation 

and what can be done to help them. 

The Four Useful Tools to Become Successful at Deterring Today’s Youth from Drug Abuse 

Dr. Joel Benk, Foundation for a Drug Free World 

In this workshop you will find out how to elicit student participation, how to capture and retain young people’s 

attention, and how to get students to willingly read, view, and most importantly, use provided tools to make the 

right choice about drug use. This multi-media presentation will arm you with the necessary tools anyone needs 

to effectively educate and deter anyone from starting drugs, and also to discontinue to abuse drugs. This factbased 

drug education presentation by the Georgia Director for a Drug Free World will introduce you to the 

largest anti-drug program on earth and how you can resource its materials, free of charge, for your own use.



Breakout Session 1 1:45 PM - 3:15 PM (Continued) 

Keeping Your Court from Becoming Case Law – HIPPA/Confidentiality & Ethics 

Mr. Carson Fox, National Association of Drug Court Professionals 

Drug court professionals face a variety of ethical challenges. They must also abide by strict federal laws pertaining 

to the confidentiality of drug and alcohol patient records. These two issues seem separate, but are intricately 

woven. This presentation will outline the fundamentals of HIPAA and 42 CFR which apply to drug courts, while 

also touching on related ethical issues. The presentation will offer insights and resources into assisting your drug 

court to follow best practices. 

Maintaining Judicial Independence in Drug Court 

Chief Judge Jeffrey S. Bagley, Forsyth County Drug Court 

This session for judges, prosecutors and defense attorneys will discuss the challenges of judicial independence as it 

relates to the team approach. The session will include practical solutions to assist the practitioner in maintaining 

independence while adhering to the 10 Key Components. 

Building an Evaluation System 

Dr. Kevin Baldwin, Applied Research Services, Inc. 

This workshop is designed to help problem solving court practitioners develop and implement an evaluation system 

that can provide evaluation data for reporting purposes as well as for purposes of continuous quality improvement. 

Promoting Awareness for Motivational Incentives (Part 1) 

Dr. Taunya Lowe, The Resurgent Group of Metro Atlanta, LLC 

Research has shown that motivational incentives programs using low cost reinforcement (prizes, vouchers, clinic 

privileges, etc.), delivered in conjunction with outside urine screening promote higher rates of treatment retention 

and abstinence from drug abuse. This blending team focus assists their efforts on informing the field about 

successful approaches in the use of motivational incentives (also referred to as contingency management). 


Breakout Session 2 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM 

Prescription Drugs 

Special Agent Bruce J. Cross, Georgia Drug and Narcotics Agency 

This discussion format course will cover the basics of investigation of the diversion of prescription drugs from the 

typical distribution chain from manufacturer to patient. Special emphasis will be placed on the differentiation between 

dangerous drugs and controlled substances. The student will be able to list and explain the elements of the 

offenses of prescription forgery and double doctoring; list the steps of the investigation and craft arrest warrants 

for each offense. The course will round out with additional codes sections that apply to drug diversion.




Data Collection and Program Advocacy 

Dr. Kevin Baldwin, Applied Research Services 

This workshop is designed to help problem solving court practitioners identify, collect, manage, and report data to 

document their court activities, track key outcomes and indicators, and report data to both sustain and advocate 

for their work. 

Handling a Diverse Mental Health Court Population/Treatment Planning 

Mr. Eric Spencer, National Alliance on Mental Illness 

This workshop will focus on two of the essential elements of a mental health court: 

1. Target population - The first portion of this workshop will discuss the elements of selecting and working with 

the target population that takes into consideration a broad array of disabling conditions including addiction and 

participant diversity. 

2. Treatment support and services - The second half of this workshop will discuss the process of treatment planning 

that takes into account the results of a complete mental health and substance abuse assessment, individual 

consumer needs, and public safety concerns. Participants must also have input into their treatment plans. Treatment 

providers should remain in regular communication with court staff concerning the appropriateness of the 

treatment plan and should suggest adjustments to the plan when appropriate. 

Inside the Adolescent Brain 

Mr. Guy A. Wheeler, Guy A. Wheeler Group, P.A. 

Over the past few years, strong research has emerged that documents the enormous changes to the brain in the 

developing years between childhood and adulthood. This workshop will provide insight to adolescent brain development; 

effects of trauma, behavior, environmental factors, and discuss questions such as why adolescents use alcohol 

and other drugs. 

Community Policing and Public Health 

Deputy Christopher Worth, Cobb County Sheriff’s Department 

This training will discuss some threats to the officer’s and the public’s health that the officer needs to be aware of. 

We will discuss some dangers the officer may encounter including, but not limited to, methamphetamine labs and 

chemicals, unsafe houses, and diseases that the officer may be likely to come in contact with. We will also discuss 

some of the safety issues to the general public such as child abuse and neglect and other health issues that can affect 

the public that may be associated with accountability court participants. 

Conversation with the Georgia Department of Labor 

Commissioner Michael Thurmond, Georgia Department of Labor 

This session will provide insight to Georgia’s job availability and how accountability courts can partner with their 

local Department of Labor office in assisting drug court participants with creating resumes, job applications and 

further education opportunities.




Promoting Awareness for Motivational Incentives (Part 2) 

Dr. Taunya Lowe, The Resurgent Group of Metro Atlanta, LLC 

Research has shown that motivational incentives programs using low cost reinforcement (prizes, vouchers, clinic 

privileges, etc.), delivered in conjunction with outside urine screening promote higher rates of treatment retention 

and abstinence from drug abuse. This blending team focus assists their efforts on informing the field about successful 

approaches in the use of motivational incentives (also referred to as contingency management). 

Challenges in Drug Testing: Detection of Use of Prescription and Street/Internet Drugs 

Dr. Leo Kadehjian, Independent Biomedical Consultant 

This session will provide information that will help attendees understand use of urine drug concentrations to assess 

therapeutic use vs. abuse of prescription drugs. There will also be discussion on the variety of new street/Internet 

drugs, their structures, and challenges for detection of their use. 


Plenary 

9:00 AM – 10:30 AM 

Effective Treatment for 17 – 25 year olds 

Mr. Guy A. Wheeler, Guy A. Wheeler Group, P.A. 

Young adulthood is the time in which personal identity and relationships become more complex and meaningful to 

individuals. This is also the time many emerging adult lives are marked by numerous physiological (brain), psychological, 

and social changes—after which most emerging adults embark on positive or negative (drugs and crime) trajectories. 

This training will focus on social, cognitive, variance (diversity), psychological, educational, and personality 

development processes from late childhood into adulthood (17-25 years old). The training will also provide indepth 

clinical techniques and best practice standards that will enhance the clinical process. 


Breakout Session 3 10:45 AM – 12:15 PM 

Ask Not What Your Charitable Organization Can Do For You - Tell It! 

Ms. Stephanie Woodard, Hall County Solicitor General 

This session will discuss how establishing a 501 (c) (3) can not only help ensure your court’s accountability, but also 

help with public awareness, participant activities and other goals. 

New Drug Trends - Pepspice, Salvia, Suboxone, Soma 

Major Vincent Hester, Cobb County Sheriff’s Office 

This session will discuss new drug trends: increased use, illegal distribution and fatal overdoses. Availability of prescription 

narcotics are primary factors in the rise of addiction, Prescription narcotics deaths accounted for 56 percent 

of poisoning deaths nationally in 2005, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and their 

absolute number increased by 84 percent from 1999 to 2005.



Breakout Session 3 10:45 AM – 12:15 PM (Continued) 

Department of Family and Children Services and Changing Policy 

Ms. Katherine S. Herren, Georgia Department of Human Resources (DHR), Division of Family and Children Service (DFCS) 

This session will review policy and collaboration between the Department of Family and Children Services and accountability 

courts. 

Psychopharmacology - The Low Down on Street Drugs (Part 1) 

Mr. David Turpin, Southeast Addiction Technology Transfer Center 

This course will review the pharmacology, symptoms of use/abuse and history of the most widely used/abused 

“Street Drugs,” including the most abused pharmaceuticals in our area. Participants will be able to identify drug categories, 

define “slang terms,” dispel myths and learn factual information on drugs of abuse. This will be an interactive 

session! Do you know what “Capitan Cody” is? If not come and learn; if so come and share. 

Monitoring Alcohol Abstinence Using EtG/EtS 

Mr. Paul L. Cary, M.S., University of Missouri Health Care in Columbia Missouri, Toxicology and Drug Monitoring Laboratory 

Recent testing advances have led to improvements in the monitoring of client alcohol abstinence. By testing for two 

alcohol metabolites, namely, ethyl glucuronide (EtG) and ethyl sulfate (EtS), court monitoring programs have been 

able to extend their alcohol monitoring detection window. This presentation will review the advantages and concerns 

associated with EtG/EtS monitoring. A discussion of appropriate cutoffs and EtG/EtS result interpretations will 

be presented along with a synopsis of compounds clients should avoid. 

Theories/Resources for Trauma Treatment 

Dr. Denise McKinney, Hall County Mental Health Court 

The workshop will explore trauma theory and how this theory is used to understand the development of PTSD and 

substance abuse. The second half of the workshop will focus on different treatment options. 


Luncheon Plenary 12:30 PM – 2:00 PM 

National Trends and Deterrent Strategies for Prescription and Over the Counter Drug Abuse 

Mr. Gary Boggs, Office of Diversion Control, Drug Enforcement Administration 

The presentation will cover prescription drug abuse: a brief history, the challenges facing law enforcement, the current 

landscape of abusers, types of diversion to include pain clinics and a snapshot of new designer drugs being marketed 

today. The presentation will conclude with a look at the future of prescription drug abuse. 


Breakout Session 4 2:15 PM – 3:45 PM 

Breakout by Role 

Judge: Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC) Issues Relative to Drug Courts 

Judge Michael P. Boggs, Waycross Judicial Circuit; Ms. Lynn Faller and Ms. Cheryl D. Payton, Georgia Crime Information Center 

This will be an open discussion on Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC) issues relative to drug courts.



Breakout Session 4 2:15 PM – 3:45 PM (Continued) 

Coordinators: General Coordinators Meeting 

Mr. Andrew F. Cummings, DeKalb County Drug Court 

Prosecutors/Public Defenders: Prosecution and Defense Challenges 

Mr. Grady Moore, District Attorneys’ Office for the Cobb Judicial Circuit; Mr. Randy Harris, Cobb County Circuit Defender’s 

Office 

The workshop will focus on the challenges presented to attorneys, both for prosecution and defense, due to the 

nature of drug and DUI court cases. Focus will be on the non-traditional, non-adversarial role of the attorney handling 

these sorts of cases. The presenters hope to foster discussion and recommendations on how prosecutors 

and defense attorneys can avoid legal and ethical conflicts and can advance the goals of treatment and recovery abdicating 

their traditional roles in the criminal justice system. 

Case Manager: Juggling Large Caseloads 

Ms. Ingrid Edwards, Muscogee County Adult Drug Court; Richard Wells, Muscogee County Juvenile Drug Court 

This workshop will discuss issues case managers face as they juggle large caseloads. 

Treatment Provider: Providing Effective Treatment Within the Judicial System 

Mr. Steve Mansfield, The Resiliency Institute, Inc. 

This session is a discussion of some of the obstacles common to treatment within the drug court system and 

strategies for success. Participant involvement will be actively encouraged through the use of small group treatment 

planning exercises, and sharing of individual strategies. 

Supervision/Law Enforcement: Appropriate Surveillance Methods 

Mr. Lee Rushton, Athens-Clarke County DUI/Drug Court Probation 

Mental Health Court Teams: Current Issues for Mental Health Courts 

Dr. Denise McKinney, Hall County Mental Health Court 

This session will be an open discussion on current mental health court issues. 


Breakout Session 5 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM 

Psychopharmacology- The Low Down on Street Drugs (Part 2) 

Mr. David Turpin, Southeast Addiction Technology Transfer Center 

A continuation from part 1, this course will review the pharmacology, symptoms of use/abuse and history of the 

most widely used/abused “Street Drugs,” including the most abused pharmaceuticals in our area. Participants will 

be able to identify drug categories, define “slang terms,” dispel myths and learn factual information on drugs of 

abuse. This will be an interactive session! Do you know what “Capitan Cody” is? If not come and learn; if so come 

and share.



Breakout Session 5 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM (Continued) 

Ensuring Sustainability: Grants and DATE Funds 

Judge Michael P. Boggs, Waycross Judicial Circuit; Eden Freeman, City of Sandy Springs 

Preparing your drug court for long-term financial sustainability is a daunting task. Most drug courts, like other local 

government programs, operate with a combination of funds, including city and county budget appropriations, state 

and federal grants, reorganization of existing resources and perhaps foundation and community support. This session 

will explore the need to plan for long-term sustainability of your drug court program and the steps you can 

take. 

12 Step and Courts: Solutions & Spirituality 

Mr. Bob King, Dawson County Drug & DUI Court 

This session will educate participants on the twelve steps and how blending court accountability, twelve step support, 

and spiritual growth leads to a long term recovery. 

How to Manage Drug Courts and Stay in Compliance Within ASFA Timelines for Children in Foster Care 

Judge Juanita Stedman, Cobb County Juvenile Court-Family Drug Court; Judge Patricia P. Stone, Chatham County Family 

Dependency Treatment Court; Judge John Worcester-Holland, Appalachian Circuit Family Dependency Treatment Court 

Substance abuse by a primary caregiver is the most frequent reason for children coming into foster care, especially 

for newborns. Substance abuse treatment requires time and commitment for the parent as well as for the system. 

Relapse time is often part of the recovery process. Yet, young baby brains need caring, stable adults for attachment 

and full capacity brain growth. ASFA (Adoption and Safe Families Act) mandates movement toward permanency 

for children in foster care for 15 out of 22 months. How do all these requirements get balanced in Family 

Treatment Drug Courts? Carefully. Come listen to three Georgia juvenile court judges talk about what they do 

every day to both comply with the law and serve the children and families before them. 

When Sanctions and Incentives Don’t Work: Responding to Addiction-Driven Non-Compliance 

Mr. Terrence Walton, DC Pretrial Services Agency 

This presentation will uncover the theories underlying incentives and sanctions in drug courts and suggest strategies 

for using these powerful tools to effectively influence participant behavior. Special emphasis will be given to distinguishing 

between addictive behaviors and criminal behaviors, as well as suggesting when and how to respond differentially 

to both. Finally, this session will describe when sanctions don’t work and how sanctioning not working can 

sometimes actually assist in the treatment process. 

Essential Components of a Successful Drug Testing Program 

Mr. Paul L. Cary, M.S., University of Missouri Health Care in Columbia Missouri, Toxicology and Drug Monitoring Laboratory 

Effective drug testing in drug court is essential to the overall success of the program. This presentation is designed 

to provide information and strategies for building and maintaining a successful drug testing program. Collection 

strategies and result interpretation - two essential components of a credible testing program will be discussed. Attendees 

will learn the reasons for testing, how to select clients for maximum abstinence surveillance, and what 

specimens yield the best results. An additional focus issue will be controlling sample tampering.



Closing Plenary 8:30 AM - 10:00 AM 

Fidelity to the 10 Key Components 


This presentation outlines the Ten Key Components, including a very brief history on their development. Each 

component is discussed, along with examples of its application. 


Breakout Session 6: 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM 

Doing the Right Thing in the Right Way: Evidenced Based Treatment 

Mr. Terrence Walton, Washington, D.C., Pretrial Services Agency 

Arguably, treatment is the ground upon which everything else in drug court is built. Interestingly, while we have 

busied ourselves heralding the success of drug courts, that ground is gradually, yet steadily shifting beneath us. 

Treatment expectations are changing. The treatment, recovery, and research communities are coalescing around 

an approach to treatment that calls for the development of Recovery-Oriented Systems of Care and the use of evidence-based 

practices. This approach will force programs to go beyond what has “worked for us” in the past and 

forge new relationships in order to achieve the newly-defined “treatment success.” This presentation will provide 

specific tools and strategies to help you discover the evidenced-based practices that are most likely to work for 

you. Participants will leave prepared to tune-up their treatment vehicles as we explore helpful resources for providing 

effective relapse prevention planning, manual-based interventions, co-occurring disorder treatment, medication-assisted 

treatment, and more. 

The Effect of Correcting Nutrition on Crime, Delinquency, Drug Abuse 

and Their Precursors: Intelligence, Academic Performance, and Mental Health 

Dr. Stephen Schoenthaler, California State University, Stanislaw 

It is not well known that many state agencies have successfully added a nutritional component to their treatment 

and sentencing structures that has lowered violence and other antisocial behavior including the elevation of IQ, 

student grades, better mental health, and even normalization of brain function. Topics include how 803 public 

schools eliminated the majority of learning disabilities and 14 correctional institutions cut violence almost in half 

with diet alone. These resulted in several randomized controlled trials that allowed definitive attribution as to how 

these diets changed blood nutrient concentrations, brain concentrations, and improved the behavior of the most 

troublesome to treat and confine: the chronic offender.



Breakout Session 6: 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM (Continued) 

The Impact of Maternal Substance Abuse on Child Development 

Dr. Claire D. Coles, Ph.D., Emory University School of Medicine, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Pediatrics, Atlanta, 

GA, and Marcus Institute, Fetal Alcohol Center 

This training will discuss the impact that maternal substance abuse has on the physical and social/emotional functioning 

of a young child. We will review scientific studies that describe the long-term developmental effects of maternal 

substance abuse on a child’s ultimate developmental outcomes. We will also discuss the conditions that maternal 

substance abuse may be associated with, including disease, prematurity, sub-optimal caretaking, poverty, exposure 

to violence, neglect and maternal psychopathology. Finally, interventions and resources for children impacted 

by maternal substance abuse will be discussed. 

Child Support Problem Solving Courts 

Judge John Simpson, Carroll County Child Support Problem Solving Court; Ms. Elaine Johnson, Administrative Office of the 

Courts; Mr. Russell Eastman, Division of Child Support Services; Dr. Kevin Baldwin, Applied Research Services; Mr. Blue Cole, 

Carroll County Child Support Problem Solving Court 

This session will introduce you to a Georgia accountability court that was founded to address the issue of the noncustodial 

parent failing to pay child support on a consistent basis. Using a national model that has already been established, 

the Division of Child Support Services with the Administrative Office of the Courts has collaborated 

with Carroll County Superior Court to set up a pilot project. You will hear from a panel of individuals associated 

with this court who will speak about the court and the challenges of starting a pilot court in these difficult economic 

times. Included in this session will be information about the National Model of Child Support Problem Solving 

Courts, the impetus for the court, the Division of Child Support Services’ interest in this type of court, grant 

funding, operations of the court and the evaluation. The session will include a question and answer period. 

Implementing Veterans Courts 


Partnership Between Probation and Drug Courts 

Chief Judge Jeffrey S. Bagley, Forsyth County Drug Court; Commissioner Brian Owens, Georgia Department of Corrections

Presenter Biographies 17 

Chief Judge Jeffrey S. Bagley is the Chief Judge for the Superior Court of the Bell-Forsyth Judicial Circuit. 

Judge Bagley holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a Juris Doctorate from 

Emory University. Judge Bagley has served as the Presiding Judge for the Forsyth County Drug Court since 2004 

and is a member of various professional organizations, including the Council of Superior Court Judges. Judge Bagley 

is a member of the Judicial Council of Georgia Standing Committee on Drug Courts. Judge Bagley will assume 

a position on the Board of Directors of the NADCP at the national conference in June. 

Dr. Kevin Baldwin holds a Ph.D. and is a clinical psychologist with a dual emphasis on research and forensics. 

He has directed federally-funded research projects, authored over a dozen articles in peer-reviewed journals, and 

leads skill-building seminars on topics such as The Assessment and Treatment of Sexual Offenders and The Identification 

of Psychopaths. As a clinician, Dr. Baldwin is the Director of Forensic Services at the Highland Institute, an 

Atlanta outpatient clinic specializing in the assessment and treatment of persons with sexual behavior problems. 

He performs forensic examinations for state and federal courts and parole and probation authorities, and serves as 

an expert witness in both juvenile and adult courts. Dr. Baldwin’s current projects include the evaluation of four 

family dependency treatment courts, a mental health/substance abuse court, and a child support court. Dr. Baldwin 

previously served as the Director of Research and Evaluation at Wellsys Corporation and as a Psychological 

Services Coordinator for the North Carolina Department of Corrections. 

Dr. Joel Benk is a graduate of Emory University where he earned a doctor of dental surgery degree and then 

went on to serve on the faculty. He has been practicing dentistry since 1980 in Midtown Atlanta and recently became 

the director of the Georgia chapter of the Foundation for a Drug Free World which is a nonreligious, nonprofit 

organization headquartered in Los Angeles, California. It makes available educational material in dozens of 

languages across 125 countries so youth and adults can make informed decisions to be drug free. Dr. Benk is a 

professional member of the Atlanta community for 30 years, a father of four and currently practices general and 

cosmetic dentistry in Midtown Atlanta. 

Mr. Gary Boggs began his law enforcement career with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department in Orlando, 

Florida in 1977 where he was assigned to the Patrol Division and to the Street Drug Unit. In 1985, he became a 

Special Agent with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and was transferred to the Detroit Field Division 

Office. In his capacity as a Special Agent, he has worked along the Southwest Border and in the jungles of Bolivia. 

He has held positions that have included: Group Supervisor for the Parcel Interdiction Group, Task Force Group, 

and Special Services Group. In 2003, he was transferred to DEA Headquarters where he was assigned to the Office 

of Special Intelligence as the Unit Chief over classified programs. In 2006, he was promoted to his current position 

as the Executive Assistant to the Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Office of Diversion Control. As 

the Executive Assistant he coordinates the day-to-day operations of the Diversion Control Program; develops policy 

and budget proposals; provides briefings to members of Congress; and conducts liaison with industry. He holds 

a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice from Georgia Southern University. He has pursued graduate 

courses at Rollins College; post undergraduate courses at the University of Central Florida; and continuing education 

courses at Georgetown University and Johns Hopkins University.


Judge Michael P. Boggs was elected Superior Court Judge in 2004 for the six-county Waycross Judicial Circuit. 

Judge Boggs received his undergraduate degree in Political Science and Psychology from Georgia Southern College 

and earned his J.D. from Mercer University’s Walter F. George School of Law in 1990. Judge Boggs initiated a 

drug court program in his circuit in 2008 and he currently serves as a member of the Judicial Council of Georgia 

Standing Committee on Drug Courts. In 2008, Judge Boggs received the Boy Scouts of America “Golden Eagle” 

Award for his service to the community and his support of scouting. Judge Boggs is also a 2009 graduate of Leadership 

Georgia. Judge Boggs currently serves on the College Foundation Board of Trustees at Waycross College 

and Okefenokee Technical College, the Waycross YMCA Board of Directors, and is past president of the Waycross 

Bar Association. Judge Boggs is also a former instructor at the University of Georgia Gary Christie Trial 

Skills Clinic. Judge Boggs previously served as a Member of the Georgia House of Representatives from 2000-2004 

where he served on the Judiciary, Public Safety and Government Affairs Committees. While in the legislature, 

Judge Boggs authored The Child Protection Act, a bill aimed at protecting children from sexual predators. In 2002, 

he was selected as the Outstanding Freshman Member of the Georgia General Assembly, and also received recognition 

by the Editors of Georgia Trend Magazine by being named one of the “40 under 40” rising stars of Georgia. 

Judge Boggs serves as a Deacon at Central Baptist Church in Waycross. He and his wife reside in Pierce County. 

Mr. Paul L. Cary, M.S., is director of the Toxicology and Drug Monitoring Laboratory at University of Missouri 

Health Care in Columbia, Missouri. For the past thirty years, Mr. Cary has been actively involved in the management 

of a nationally-recognized toxicology laboratory (SAMHSA certified) that performs drug testing for drug 

courts, hospitals, mental health facilities, attorneys, coroners and medical examiners, athletic programs, and public 

and private employers. He has authored numerous scientific publications and monographs, has served on a variety 

of clinical and technical advisory committees, teaches at the university, is involved in drug testing research, and 

serves as a consultant in toxicology-related matters. Mr. Cary has also provided judicial education including lecturing 

at the National Judicial College on alcohol pharmacology, the use of expert testimony and drug testing issues. 

He has been certified as an expert and provided expert testimony in court (local, state and federal) and in 

labor arbitration. Mr. Cary has been a resource to drug court teams throughout the nation and overseas and 

serves as visiting faculty for the National Association of Drug Court Professionals, the Center for Court Innovation, 

the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, and the National Drug Court Institute. University 

of Missouri Health Care, Columbia Missouri, 65203 (573) 882-1273 / Fax: (573) 884-4917 / 

Email: carypl@health.missouri.edu. 

Mr. A. Blue Cole began his employment with the Georgia Division of Child Support Services in 2001 as a subcontractor 

serving multiple child support offices. In 2009 he became a Fatherhood Coordinator for the agency 

serving the Griffin-Spalding County child support office. The Division of Child Support Services recently appointed 

Mr. Cole as the court coordinator for the problem solving court in Carroll County that utilizes the national model 

of a child support problem solving court in this pilot project. The pilot begin in January 2009 and has shown early 

successes, including partnering with thirty-one different organizations and graduating nine noncustodial parents. 

Prior to his employment with the Division of Child Support Services, Mr. Cole owned and operated multiple businesses 

in the Coweta County area. He brings a wealth of business contacts, energy and an entrepreneur's spirit to 

DCSS and this court. He has been married for almost 10 years and has four children.


Dr. Claire D. Coles, Ph.D., Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Pediatrics at Emory University 

School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, and Director of the Fetal Alcohol Center at the Marcus Institute. Dr. Coles established 

and continues to direct clinical services for alcohol and drug exposed children and families at the Marcus 

Autism Center. At Emory University School of Medicine, Dr. Coles is the director of the Maternal Substance 

Abuse and Child Development Prevention Project. Dr. Coles’ research focuses on the developmental and behavioral 

effects of prenatal exposure to drugs and alcohol and on the interaction of these effects with the postnatal environment. 

In addition to the publication of articles and books on these topics, Dr. Coles has served on the Institute 

of Medicine’s Committee on FAS, the National Task Force on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome/Fetal Alcohol Effects 

and the FAS Work Group, Office of Special Education Programs, U.S. Department of Education. 

Mr. Bruce J. Cross is a registered pharmacist and has worked for seventeen years as Special Agent for the Georgia 

Drugs and Narcotics Agency after operating Cross Pharmacy for seven years in Alpharetta with his pharmacist 

wife, Karen. The agency conducts statewide regulatory inspections and investigations for the Georgia Board of 

Pharmacy and conducts criminal investigations of cases involving prescription drug diversion. Special Agent Cross is 

also a Deputy U.S. Marshall assigned as a Task Force Agent under the supervision and direction of the Food and 

Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations. Cross frequently conducts classes for medical and law enforcement 

professionals relating to the prevention and investigation of prescription drug diversion. Cross retired 

as a Commander from the US Naval Reserve as a naval aviator flying world-wide maritime patrol and antisubmarine 

warfare missions in the Lockheed P-3 Orion. Bruce and Karen breed alpacas in Bremen as Wake Robin Alpacas. 

Mr. Andrew F. Cummings is the Director of the DeKalb County Drug Court, a two year, judicially-supervised 

treatment program for non-violent felony offenders in DeKalb County, Georgia. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from 

Georgia State University and a Masters in Developmental Psychology from San Francisco State University. Mr. 

Cummings is an accomplished speaker and is also a member of the Judicial Council of Georgia Standing Committee 

on Drug Courts. 

Mr. Russell Eastman is the Policy Coordinator for the Division of Child Support Services. He has worked with 

the agency since 1983 in various positions, including agent, supervisor, manager, program consultant, and policy specialist. 

He has been the primary grant writer for the agency for 11 years and has overseen projects for Access and 

Visitation, fatherhood services, and the Healthy Marriage Initiative. He currently supervises the DCSS Policy Unit. 

He received his B.A. from the College of William and Mary in Virginia in 1976. 

Ms. Ingrid Edwards has been with the Muscogee County Adult Drug Court as a Case Manager since May of 

2008. In addition to her Case Manager responsibilities, she functions as the Lab Manager for the Siemens Lab, 

which Muscogee County opened in October 2009. She received her master’s in Education and Criminal Justice 

from Troy University in 2005 and earned her undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice and Forensic Science from 

Savannah State University in 1994. Before being blessed to be a part of the Drug Court Family she worked for Head 

Start providing quality services to children and families in Case Management for 10 years. Ingrid has been married 

for 10 years to Ricky Edwards who helps in raising an 18 and 14 year old (step children) and a four year old and 

one year old.


Mr. Carson L. Fox Jr., J.D. is the Director of Operations and Chief Counsel of the National Association of 

Drug Court Professionals. Mr. Fox has a B.A. from University of South Carolina Honor’s College (1990) and a Juris 

Doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law (1993). Mr. Fox is a former prosecutor and drug 

court coordinator of the adult and juvenile drug courts in the Eleventh Judicial Circuit of South Carolina. Mr. Fox 

has also worked with the Justice Management Institute and the National Leadership Institute on developing drug 

court curriculum. He has served as faculty for the United States Department of State and the Organization of 

American States, in conducting drug court trainings in Central and South America. He has authored and coauthored 

drug court publications including “Drug Courts in the United States,” an article for the electronic newsletter 

for the United States Department of State, Office of Democracy and Human Rights; “The Drug Court Data 

Collection Survey Review,” (unpublished), which evaluated and critiqued the Department of Justice’s drug court 

grantee surveys from 1997 until 2001; and “Family Dependency Treatment Court: Applying the Drug Court Model 

to Child Maltreatment Cases,” a fact sheet for the National Drug Court Institute. 

Ms. Eden E. Freeman, MBA, GPC is the Grants Administrator for the City of Sandy Springs, Georgia. In this 

role, she manages all grant activities for the City and works with departments to develop innovative program 

strategies. Ms. Freeman is a frequent trainer and speaker and is often called upon to provide technical assistance 

to state and local agencies across Georgia on issues related to performance measures, strategic planning and developing 

effective grant proposals. Ms. Freeman frequently serves as a peer reviewer on various federal grant programs. 

Most recently, Ms. Freeman was with the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) of Georgia where 

she managed all grant activities for the AOC and the Supreme Court of Georgia. Previously, Ms. Freeman was 

with the Office of the Governor, Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC), where she administered more 

than $70 million per year in federal formula and discretionary grant programs for the State of Georgia. In this capacity, 

she designed and implemented the site visit protocol utilized by CJCC. Before her work at CJCC, Ms. 

Freeman was with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and is widely recognized as the “creator” of the Georgia 

Sexually Violent Offender Registry. Ms. Freeman is an original GPC, Grants Professional Certified, certified by the 

Grant Professionals Certification Institute. Ms. Freeman is an active member of the American Association of Grant 

Professionals (AAGP) - Metro Atlanta Chapter and currently serves as its President. Ms. Freeman holds a Master 

of Business Administration degree from Georgia State University and a Bachelor of Science degree from Georgia 

College. She is a native of Griffin, Georgia. 

Mr. Randy Harris 

Ms. Katherine S. Herren serves as the Deputy Director for Programs and Policy for the Georgia Department 

of Human Resources (DHR), Division of Family and Children Services DFCS. As the Deputy Division Director for 

Programs and Policy, Ms. Herren is responsible for the oversight of statewide Education and Training Services 

(ETS), Office of Family Independence (OFI) programming and policy development, Family Services Section programming 

and policy development, DFCS Customer Contact Center and the Family Assessment Support Team 

(F.A.S.T). Kathy, as most people affectionately call her , has dedicated more than 20 years of service to the children 

and families of Georgia. She has risen through the ranks of DFCS. Her career began at Newton County 

DFCS where she was a case manager and supervisor. In subsequent years, Kathy shifted her professional focus 

toward child welfare administration, policy development and joined the staff at DFCS’ State Office. She has also 

served as a DFCS liaison to the Georgia Legislature. She brings passion to the work and a wealth of program and 

policy knowledge. She believes that every child has the right to be safe, happy, and a part of a supportive family. 

Ms. Herren began her academic studies at Mercer University where she earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology.


Since then she has obtained several certifications in case management, leadership, and humanitarian work. With a 

reputation that encompasses loyalty to the citizens of Georgia and a zeal for child welfare work, Katherine Herren 

is most certainly a champion for children, youth, and families! 

Major Vincent B. Hester serves the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office, Detention Division, Operations Division 

and has worked with Marietta/Cobb/Smyrna (M.C.S.). For 15 years Major Hester was assigned to the narcotics 

unit as an agent/canine handler and then as a supervisor of both uniform and undercover narcotics operations. 

Major Hester also served as liaison between the narcotics unit and the Cobb County School System, conducting 

drug education and prevention programs for students, parents and faculty, as well as engaging in enforcement activities 

involving youthful offenders, both on and off campus. Major Hester is currently assigned as the Commander 

of the Operations Support Section of the Operations Division, which includes responsibility for the Public 

Outreach Section, which conducts the presentation of drug education and prevention programs to the community 

at large. Major Hester is also the sheriff's office representative to the Success For All Students grant program, 

which focuses on the reduction of risk factors that come between students and their ability to learn, including substance 

abuse. 

Ms. Elaine Johnson serves as the Child Support Guidelines Coordinator for the Georgia Administrative Office of 

the Courts (AOC), a position created by an interagency contract between the Division of Child Support Services 

(DCSS) and the AOC. Elaine came to the AOC in October 2007 and serves as staff to the Child Support Commission. 

Elaine works on child support issues and the child support calculators in their design, maintenance and 

support. Additionally, she works on the AOC E-filing program and the pilot project for a the Child Support Problem 

Solving Court in Carroll County, Georgia with the DCSS. Elaine serves as a liaison for the Courts and the 

DCSS. Previously, Elaine was employed for 30 years with the Division of Child Support Services. Elaine has vast 

knowledge and experience in the field of child support, including specialized knowledge in interstate child support. 

During her years of service with DCSS, Elaine worked for the late Dupont K. Cheney, District Attorney for the 

Atlantic Judicial Circuit in Hinesville, Georgia, and then for Robert E. Keller, retired District Attorney for the Clayton 

Judicial Circuit in Jonesboro, Georgia. From 2003 to September 2007, Elaine was employed by the state DCSS 

as a policy specialist in their Policy and Research Unit. For a period of that time Elaine also served as DCSS staff to 

the Child Support Commission during the revision process of the guidelines statute. She also worked on the development 

of the original web based and the Excel electronic child support calculators. 

Dr. Leo J. Kadehjian, Ph.D. is an independent biomedical consultant in Palo Alto, California, primarily lecturing 

and writing on the clinical, scientific, regulatory, and legal issues in drugs of abuse testing. He has provided consulting 

services for a wide variety of both private and public sector drug programs. Clients have included IBM, Exxon 

International, Texaco, General Motors, Amtrak, Pfizer, Air New Zealand, Syntex, Syva, the U.S. Federal Courts, and 

numerous state corrections agencies and local drug courts. He has special experience with on-site testing programs 

and provides oversight of the U.S. Federal Courts’ on-site drug testing programs. An internationally recognized 

speaker, he has earned Outstanding Speaker recognition from the American Association of Clinical Chemistry 

and has provided expert testimony in court and labor arbitration. He has also provided judicial education including 

nationally broadcast live satellite television seminars for the Federal Judicial Center and serving on the faculty of 

the National Judicial College lecturing on the neurobiology of addiction and drug testing issues. He has also conducted 

workshops for occupational physicians and other clinical providers. He is a member of the International 

Association of Forensic Toxicologists, the Society of Forensic Toxicologists, the American Association of Clinical 

Chemistry, and the American Chemical Society. Born and raised in Boston, he received his Bachelor’s degree in Organic 

Chemistry from M.I.T. in 1972 and his Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Stanford University in 1977.


After several years of bioorganic and toxicological research, he served as manager of International Medical Affairs 

for Syva. In that position, he lectured extensively around the world, including mainland China and the Soviet Union. 

Since then he has established his own biomedical consulting business with private and public sector clients worldwide. 

Mr. Robert King MSW, LCSW is a licensed clinical social worker in the state of Georgia. He previously lived in 

Florida where he served as a certified LCSW and certified Addiction Professional (LCAP) in that state. He acquired 

a Masters Degree in Social Work from Barry University in North Miami Beach. He has worked as a therapist 

in private substance abuse facilities, locked down psychiatric institute, and a 90 bed homeless shelter. Currently, 

Bob is the Drug Court Coordinator for the Dawson County Treatment Court in Georgia which has felony 

drug, DUI, and 16-13-2 (first offender-marijuana) tracks. Bob sits on the Board for the Meth Task Force in Dawson 

County, and is a member of NADCP. Bob co-presented at two sessions of the Judicial Council of Georgia Standing 

Committee on Drug Courts 2008 Drug, DUI and Mental Health Court Conference in Peachtree City, Georgia 

June 2008. He also presented at the national conference in California in June 2009. 

His sobriety date is December 16, 1992. 

Dr. Taunya A. Lowe, Ph.D. is the CEO of The Resurgent Group of Metro Atlanta, LLC (TRGMA), established 

in 2006. Dr. Lowe is also an adjunct professor for DeVry University and thoroughly enjoys training human service 

providers on best practices in the field of mental health and addiction to equip them with the tools they need to 

offer competent services. Dr. Lowe holds a doctorate in General Human Services and a certificate in Diversity 

Studies from Capella University; a Masters degree in Counseling and Psychological Services, and a Bachelor’s of 

Science degree in Community Health Education both from Clark Atlanta University. Dr. Lowe’s background spans 

many disciplines that include nonprofit organizations, academia, counseling services, consulting, training, private 

sector, and government. She has worked in various aspects of the field of addiction since 1997. She is most 

proud of her role as the Statewide Women’s Treatment Coordinator for the Department of Mental Health Developmental 

Disabilities and Addictive Diseases from 1999 to 2004 where she earned the 2003 statewide Community 

Service Award for improving the quality of life for women’s gender specific substance abuse residential services. 

Dr. Lowe's dissertation research was entitled The Impact of Natural Supports on Employment Retention for TANF 

Women with Substance Abuse with TANF providers around the state of Georgia. 

Mr. Steven A. Mansfield, M.ED., NCC, LPC attended Vanderbilt University, 1994, in Nashville, TN and began 

studying “hard science” as a geology major and social science as an eighteen year old freshman. By his sophomore 

year, the latter caught up with him, and on October 17, 1995, Mr. Mansfield entered into an outpatient substance 

abuse treatment program for his alcohol dependency. He has been sober ever since, and he is an active member 

in a 12-step fellowship. He then changed his major to psychology and began volunteering in a peer support role 

with juvenile offenders through the Davidson County Department of Juvenile Justice. He completed his one year 

practicum/internship at the Vanderbilt Institute for the Treatment of Addictions, a dual diagnosis program within 

the Psychiatric Hospital at Vanderbilt in May 2000. Mr. Mansfield immediately went to work for the Glynn County 

Drug Court where he re-wrote the treatment curriculum that is still used today. In August 2001, he was promoted 

to Clinical Director and his role expanded to include training other drug court professionals, developing a 

comprehensive quality improvement program, and preparing for program licensure. With a Master’s of Education 

and certification as an NCC through the National Board for Certified Counselors in hand,


Mr. Mansfield completed his required supervision hours and became fully licensed as a professional counselor in 

2004. His clinical interests expanded to include the treatment of clients with Axis II personality disorders, repeated 

treatment failure and resistance, and anger management. In June 2006, Mr. Mansfield partnered with John 

Capachione M.Ed., LPC and the Resiliency Institute for the sole purpose of developing an agency that specialized in 

drug court services. The Resiliency Institute was awarded the drug court treatment contract in July 2006. Under 

Mr. Mansfield’s leadership, the Resiliency Institute became the first CARF accredited drug court treatment program 

in the State of Georgia in September 2007. Mr. Mansfield lives on St. Simons Island with his wife, Alyssa, and 

their two daughters, Anne Riley and Pasley. He is an avid surfer, a grateful recovering alcoholic, and a proud cancer 

survivor. 

Dr. J. Denise McKinney, MA, Psy. D., has a doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Argosy University. She spent 

several years working with sexually abused children and adolescent sex offenders. In addition, she has worked in 

the community service board setting serving children and adolescent consumers. In 2007, she began her career as 

the clinical coordinator for the Hall County Mental Health Court (H.E.L.P. Program). During her tenure with this 

program she has implemented several treatment programs and started collaboration with Hall County Drug Court 

to develop a dual diagnosis track. 

Mr. Grady A. Moore is Senior Assistant District Attorney for the Cobb Judicial Circuit. He graduated in 1996 

from Vanderbilt University School of Law in Nashville, Tennessee. He served as assistant district attorney in Nashville 

from 1996 to 2001. In 2001 he moved back home to Georgia serving a brief stint as a civil attorney before 

returning to prosecution in 2002. Mr. Moore worked for one year as the designated drug prosecutor for the Tallapoosa 

Judicial Circuit. He was hired as Assistant District Attorney in his home county of Cobb in 2003 and promoted 

to Senior Assistant District Attorney in 2006. Mr. Moore oversees the prosecution of drug court cases in 

Cobb Judicial Circuit.. 

Dr. Merrill Norton, Pharm. D., NCAC II, CCS, CCDP-D is currently on staff serving as Clinical Associate 

Professor University of Georgia College of Pharmacy, Department of Clinical and Administrative Pharmacy in Athens, 

Georgia. Dr. Norton is President/CEO Chemical Health Associates, Inc. Athens, Ga. He has expertise in addiction 

pharmacy, the specialty areas of addiction medications, psychiatric medications, and pain management medications; 

addiction counseling and treatment modalities; psychopharmacology of psychotropic medications; and pain 

management of the addicted patient. He has been a trainer/consultant for the National Football League, National 

Basketball Association, Major League Baseball, Georgia Medical Association, and is currently a trainer and consultant 

for the Atlanta Braves. He also provided counseling assistance for law enforcement involved in the Columbine 

school tragedy.


Commissioner Brian Owens began his career in criminal justice as a parole officer. He later served as Assistant 

Chief Parole Officer and Chief Parole Officer in Fulton County. In 1999, Mr. Owens led the Department of 

Corrections’ Office of Planning and Analysis before accepting the position of Executive Assistant to former Commissioner 

Jim Wetherington in 2002. In 2005, Mr. Owens accepted the position of Assistant Commissioner under 

former Commissioner James E. Donald. In January 2009, Mr. Owens was selected by Governor Sonny Perdue to 

serve as the Commissioner of the Department of Corrections. Commissioner Owens is a graduate of the University 

of Georgia. 

Mr. Lee Rushton was born and raised in the Atlanta Metro Area. He is a graduated from the University of 

Georgia with a degree in education in 1999. Mr. Rushton taught photography in the DeKalb County School System 

from 2000-2004. Moving back to Athens, he began working as a Police Officer at the University of Georgia 

while pursuing an advanced degree. He worked in the Crime Prevention Bureau with UGAPD from 2006-2007 

teaching self defense and basic security techniques. Mr. Rushton began working with the Athens Area DUI-Drug 

Court in August of 2008. 

Judge Robert T. Russell was first elected in 1991 as associate judge for Buffalo City Court and also serves by 

appointment as an acting Erie County court judge. He is a past chairman of the Board of Directors of the National 

Association of Drug Court Professionals, Inc., located in Alexandria, Virginia and the past president of the New 

York State Association of Drug Treatment Court Professionals, Inc. His work in the drug treatment court field 

led to his induction into the National Association of Drug Court Professionals, “Hall of Fame.” He is also the recipient 

of the New York State Association of Drug Treatment Court Professionals, “Leadership Award,” the Erie 

County Bar Association’s, “Award of Merit” and the New York State Bar Association, “Award for Outstanding 

Judicial Contribution”. Judge Russell is a graduate of Howard University School of Law in Washington, D.C. 

Dr. Stephen J. Schoenthaler, Ph.D. has doctorates in Sociological Theory, Social Psychology and Criminology. 

He is serving as associate professor of sociology at California State University Stanislaus. In 1991, he was Nominated 

for Nobel Laureate and 2000 Linus Pauling Award Winner for Outstanding Landmark Research in Orthomolecular 

Medicine. In 2002, he was awarded Outstanding Research and Creative Activity Professor for Nutrition 

and Behavior and Change of Venue Research. Stephen served in 1989 as the International Director of Research 

for the Dietary Research Foundation in London and expert witness and researcher for 27 cases. In 1999, he 

served on the U.S. Department of Justice National Assembly on Alcohol, Drugs and Crime. 

Judge John T. Simpson has served as a superior court judge of the Coweta Judicial Circuit since January 1, 

1997. While he presides over courts in Carroll, Coweta, Heard, Meriwether, and Troup counties, he chose to 

establish a child support problem solving court, using the national model, in his home county of Carroll. Prior to 

serving as superior court Judge, he was a member of the Georgia House of Representatives for ten years. He was 

also an attorney in private practice for over ten years. He started his legal career as the law clerk for the late Joseph 

Jackson who was the Chief Judge of the Coweta Judicial Circuit. Judge Simpson has a Juris Doctor degree 

from Mercer University, as well as a master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of West Georgia. 

He also has a Bachelors Degree in Political Science from the University of West Georgia.


Mr. Eric Spencer is a native of Atlanta. After receiving a degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology he 

worked in several positions as a chemical, then fire protection, and finally an electrical engineer. From 1994 through 

2007, he was a partner in a Consulting Engineering firm. In 2004, after a family member was diagnosed with mental 

illness, Eric joined NAMI. In 2005, he became president of his local chapter. In 2006, he joined the NAMI Georgia 

Board, becoming vice president. In 2007, he switched careers to become NAMI Georgia’s Executive Director. He 

brings his team building and organizational skills together with his passion for NAMI’s program to NAMI which has 

seen tremendous growth in the last two years. He also brings a pragmatic approach to advocacy and the issues 

Georgia faces relating to mental illness. His outlet is the outdoors through mountain biking, camping, and tennis. 

Judge Juanita P. Stedman was appointed as a Juvenile Court Judge of Cobb County in September 2000 and has 

been reappointed for each term since. Before she was appointed to the Cobb Juvenile Court bench, Judge Stedman 

served as an Administrative Law Judge hearing special education due process hearings throughout the State of Georgia, 

a practicing attorney with Juanita P. Stedman, P.C. and Cauthorn and Phillips and law clerk to the Honorable 

Robert E. Flournoy Jr. Prior to her legal career, Judge Stedman was an educator including high school special education 

teacher and completing that career as an assistant professor in the education department at Georgia State University. 

She has been a resident of Cobb County for more than twenty-five years and occasionally active in various 

organizations: past member of the Marietta City School Board, the Georgia School Board of Association and the 

National School Board Association; received the Marietta City Distinguished Service Award in 1994; Marietta 

Schools Foundation President 2004-2006; Cobb Bar Association, Secretary, 1998, Cobb Bar Volunteer of the year 

Award; Georgia Bar Association; Georgia Council for Juvenile Court Judges; National Association of Juvenile and 

Family Court Judges; Cobb Justice Foundation Advisory Board; Leadership Georgia Class of 1998; Leadership Cobb 

Class of 2007, Honoree, 2007, co-chair of 2010 YWCA Tribute to Women of Achievement; recognized by Cobb 

Junior League in 2008 as one of the 75 Outstanding Women in Cobb County; 2009 North Cobb Rotary Club Vocational 

Service Award and 2009 Marietta Citizen of the Year. Judge Stedman presides over the Cobb County Juvenile 

Drug Court and the Family Dependency Treatment Court. Since 2005, she has served on the Georgia Supreme 

Court Judicial Council Standing Committee on Drug Courts. Judge Stedman and her husband attorney Hugh Stedman 

live in the city of Marietta and have two daughters, Emily and Molly. 

Judge Patricia Parker Stone received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Speech Communications from the University 

of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1991. She received her Juris Doctor degree from the Walter F. George 

School of Law of Mercer University in 1995. She served as an assistant district attorney for the Eastern Judicial Circuit 

of Georgia from 1995 until she was appointed to the Juvenile Court bench in 2003. Judge Stone served on the 

Executive Committee of the Georgia Council of Juvenile Court Judges as the District 1 Representative and on the 

advisory board of the Georgia Supreme Court Committee on Justice for Children. She currently serves as the 

Chairperson of the Delinquency Committee of the Georgia Council of Juvenile Court Judges, having served in that 

capacity since 2005. She participates in the Deprivation Court Improvement Initiative and is a founding member of 

the Delinquency Court Improvement Initiative of the Council. She is on the board of directors of Georgia Family 

Connection Partnership, Inc., serves on the Judicial Council of Georgia Workload Assessment Committee, and is a 

member of the Judicial Council of Georgia Standing Committee on Drug Courts. In addition, Judge Stone serves as 

an ex officio board member of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) and is a member of the Isle of Hope 

United Methodist Church. Judge Stone received the 2009 Georgia Leadership Award at the Georgia Child Placement 

Conference in Athens, GA, for demonstrating outstanding vision for change and leadership in advocating for 

children and families served by the Georgia foster care and juvenile justice systems. She was also chosen in 2009 as 

WJCL’s Champion for Change for her work with the Family Dependency Treatment Court. Judge Stone and her 

husband, Ty, have been married for 15 years, and they have three children.


Commissioner Michael Thurmond serves as Georgia’s labor commissioner for the Georgia Department of 

Labor. He became the first African-American elected to the Georgia General Assembly from Clarke County since 

Reconstruction in 1986. While serving in the General Assembly, Thurmond authored major legislation that has 

provided more than $200 million in tax relief to Georgia's senior citizens and working families. Following his tenure 

in the legislature, Thurmond created the innovative Workfirst program, which has helped over 90,000 welfaredependent 

Georgia families move into the workforce, saving more than $100 million in tax dollars that have been 

reinvested in childcare, training and other support services. In 1997, Thurmond became a distinguished lecturer at 

the University of Georgia's Carl Vinson Institute of Government. The following year, he was elected Georgia Labor 

Commissioner. Now serving his third term as labor commissioner, the Labor Department has undergone a 

significant transformation in customer service and efficiency. Thurmond is also author of two books: Freedom: 

Georgia's Antislavery Heritage, 1733-1865 and A Story Untold: Black Men and Women in Athen’s History. He is a 

graduate of Paine College and the University of South Carolina's School of Law. 

Mr. David R. Turpin is the CEO/President of Clinical Services of North Carolina, Inc. and the North Carolina 

Program Consultant for the Southeast ATTC, located at Morehouse School of Medicine. He is one of the founders 

and presently serves as treasurer of the North Carolina Substance Abuse Professional License Board. Mr. 

Turpin earned degrees from The City University of New York, The University of North Carolina, and Webster 

University in St. Louis where he is currently completing requirements for his Doctoral Degree in Clinical Psychology-Substance 

Use Disorders. He is a therapist, clinical supervisor and administrator in both substance abuse & 

mental health areas. For the past 10 years, he has served as a clinical instructor at North Carolina State University 

in Raleigh, where he teaches pharmacology for SA/MH professionals. He holds licenses as a Psychological Associate, 

Clinical Addiction Specialist, and Certified Clinical Supervisor. 

Mr. Terrence D. Walton, MSW, CSAC, IDADC is the Director of Treatment for the District of Columbia 

Pretrial Services Agency (PSA), in Washington, D.C., and is among the nation’s leading experts in providing treatment, 

training, and technical assistance in the areas of substance abuse prevention, assessment, and treatment. He 

is currently responsible for directing the PSA operations that provide substance abuse and mental health assessment, 

treatment, and social services for all adults released under PSA supervision in the District of Columbia. 

These responsibilities include overseeing the city’s adult drug court—the Superior Court Drug Intervention Program, 

as well as various programs for assessing, treating and supervising justice system involved men and women. 

Additionally, he serves on the faculty of the National Drug Court Institute. Previously, he excelled as the director 

of what was then the District of Columbia’s leading adolescent outpatient substance abuse treatment center. Previously, 

Mr. Walton helped evaluate a multi-million dollar White House Anti-Drug Media Campaign and served on 

the substance abuse task force as a part of the White House Best Practices Collaborative. In addition to his extensive 

work domestically, he has assisted addiction treatment programs in Mexico, Bangladesh, Barbados, Guam and 

Bermuda. He is the creator of the MAC Group® and MAC Free Group®, multi-session substance abuse education 

curricula being used by adult and youth programs across the country. Terrence Walton is an internationally certified 

alcohol and other drug abuse counselor with over twenty years of experience helping men, women, and youth 

to champion positive change in their lives. He holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology and a Master of Social 

Work degree with specializations in program administration and substance abuse. Noted for his practical 

strength-based approaches to complex issues, Terrence Walton is actively sought out for insight on treating urban, 

suburban and rural substance abuse issues. Terrence Walton is a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network 

of Trainers (MINT). A gifted and entertaining speaker, Terrence Walton travels extensively informing and 

inspiring audiences across the globe. Find out more at TheWaltonInstitute.com.


Mr. Guy A. Wheeler, MSW, CAP, CCJAP is the CEO/President of Guy A. Wheeler Group of Fort Lauderdale 

Fla. He currently runs a criminal justice outpatient programs for juveniles and adults. He is considered an 

expert around the nation in area of treatment, consulting, and training. He currently has three training videos that 

are sold nationwide. Guy’s newest venture was designing a Criminal Justice Psycho-Education Program (CCJP) for 

the Seventeenth (17) Judicial Circuit of Broward County, Florida, Broward’s Misdemeanor (Marijuana) Drug 

Court.. Composed of mostly young offenders, MDCP refers all of their offenders to this program. Before starting 

his company in 2002, Guy Wheeler served as Administrator and Assistant Director (equivalent to a Major) of the 

Broward Sheriff’s Office Department of Community Control. In 1991, he brought the new Drug Court concept to 

Broward County officials, and Broward became the third Drug Court in the nation. As Director of Broward’s 

Drug Court Treatment, Guy also directed a city jail program called ATACC Program (Alternative Treatment 

Against Crack Cocaine). Known for being creative, he started Florida’s first day treatment program for mostly 

Crack Cocaine addicts and offenders. To connect this program with the Sectarian community, Guy motivated the 

ecumenical community to provide adjunct support services for addicts. T he ecumenical community responded and 

they collectively started a program called “Churches in Action.” Because of Churches in Action successful outcomes, 

Guy was motivated to later pursue and obtain a Doctorate of Divinity from Jacksonville Theological Seminary. 

He has a Master’s Degree of Social Work from Barry University with specialization in Mental Health. He 

earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Forensic Studies from Indiana University, and he is duel certified as a Criminal Addiction 

Professional (CAP) and Criminal Justice Addiction Professional (CCJAP). He is trained as a National Cultural 

Competency trainer and is also an HIV/AIDS counselor/trainer. 

Ms. Stephanie Woodard was appointed by Governor Perdue in 2006 and currently serves as Hall County Solicitor 

General. Ms. Woodard graduated from Georgia State University in Atlanta, Georgia, with her Undergraduate 

B.B.A. in Economics cum laude and was presented the National Wall Street Journal Award for senior thesis. 

She earned her Juris Doctorate in 1996 from Georgia State University College of Law. She serves her community 

by providing trainings and lectures for professionals. Ms. Woodard is a member of Friends of Recovery, 3 Dimension, 

and Women Source. She is also an active supporter of Prevent Child Abuse, Gateway House, Boys and Girls 

Club, Scouts and CASA. Ms. Woodard has been married to Tom Woodard for 10 years and they have a daughter 

Madelynn (age 9) and a son David (age 7). 

Judge John Worcester-Holland serves as the Appalachian Judicial Circuit’s Chief Juvenile Court Judge, a position 

he has held since September 2004. Prior to assuming his current position, he served the Appalachian Judicial 

Circuit in various capacities. He spent several years as an Associate Juvenile Court Judge and represented area 

parents and children as the Juvenile Court’s public defender. Judge Worcester-Holland is a resident of Pickens 

County and practiced law with the Law Offices of Edwin Marger, LLC in Jasper for eleven years. He is committed 

to the implementation of accountability courts in the Appalachian Judicial Circuit and currently operates a family 

drug court, a juvenile drug court, a truancy court and a mental health court through the Juvenile Court. 

Deputy Christopher R. Worth is assigned to Cobb County’s Drug and DUI Court Programs, Marietta, GA. 

Deputy Worth is responsible for overseeing approximately one hundred fifty Drug and DUI Court participants, 

ensuring their compliance with the Drug and DUI Court Programs. Deputy Worth has been assigned to this position 

for approximately one and a half years. Deputy Worth has been a part of the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office 

for seven and a half years. During this time he has been assigned to the Cobb County Adult Detention Center, 

Field Operations and Fraud & Forgery prior to being assigned to Accountability Courts.

Conference Sponsors 28 

Supreme Court of Georgia 

Committee on Justice for Children

Presenter Conference Biographies Sponsors 24 27 

Exhibitors 

Administrative Office of the Courts 

Alcohol & Drug Abuse Certification Board of Georgia 

Alcohol Monitoring Systems 

Children’s Treatment Solutions 

Express Diagnostics International, Inc. 

Foundation for Drug Free World –Atlanta Chapter 

Georgia Addiction Counselors Association 

Georgia Council of Court Administrators 

Penfield Christian Home, Inc. 

Sentinel Offender Services 

Thermo Scientific 

U.S. Diagnostics 

Varian, Inc.

• • • • • 

Excellence and Innovation in 

Challenging Times 

3391 Peachtree Road, NE 

Atlanta, Georgia 30326 

404.365.0065 

“This project was supported by Grant No. 2009-DC-BX-0107 awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The Bureau of Justice 

Assistance is a component of the Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of 

Justice, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, the SMART Office, and the Office for Victims of Crime. 

Points of view or opinions in this document are those of the author and do not represent the official position or policies of the United 

States Department of Justice.”

2010 Drug, DUI and Mental Health Court Conference

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?