Staff Report
The Adams County Common Pleas Court and Judge Brett Spencer recently had the pleasure of hosting a peer exchange opportunity through the coordinated efforts of the Institute for Intergovernmental Research (IIR), funded by the State Justice Institute.
Rural Courts from all over the nation were selected to send their teams to Adams County to participate in a structured two-day peer exchange. Rural courts from Texas, Indiana, Arizona and Nebraska were represented during this two-day visit and they had the opportunity to learn about and observe many successful aspects of Adams County’s comprehensive, collaborative response to behavioral health and substance use, including:
• Operation: Better Together (OBT is a collaborative initiative addressing substance use disorders, mental health, and child welfare through a comprehensive, cross-agency approach. OBT was born out of the community’s desire to improve the lives of its residents. Through partnership between the court, probation department, local health department, behavioral health agencies, workforce development, child protective services, schools, law enforcement and others, the group works together to identify gaps and implement solutions. OBT was recently recognized by the Rural Justice Collaborative Advisory Committee as one the best rural justice projects in the nation.
• Courthouse Initiated Programming- Through the leadership of Judge Spencer, the Adams County Courthouse has become a safety net for the community. The courthouse is home to numerous services, including the courthouse classroom for students in need of specialized services; in-person counseling; the Justice Bus; recovery specialists; and access to behavioral health services through a partnership with the University of Cincinnati.
• Justice Bus-The Justice Bus is deployed the first Tuesday of every month to provide free legal services to the community. There are no legal aid services in the county, so OBT addressed this need through the Justice Bus Initiative.
• Adams County Workforce Development-the courthouse is an innovative hub that connects the justice-involved clients with workforce development programs through a partnership with Ohio Means Jobs. Clients can receive job support, education, certification programs and training in various trades and much more.
• REACH for Tomorrow Program-Found in all schools of the county, the REACH (Restoring, Educating, Advocating, Collaborating, and Hope) program seeks to help individuals, families, churches, coalitions and communities realize their goals for health, healing and wholeness. Specifically, REACH for Tomorrow serves as the school-based mental health service in Adams County supporting the family unit as a whole. The REACH for Tomorrow team also works with the Sheriff’s Office on development of a crisis response team and Handle With Care Program.
• Adams County Youth Prevention Coalition (ACYPC)- The Adams County Youth Prevention Coalition (ACYPC) is a cross-sector group of community stakeholders dedicated to implementing environmental prevention strategies that help young people build resiliency and reduce risk factors associated with substance use. Through collaboration and evidence-based approaches, the coalition works at both the community and environmental levels to create lasting change and positively impact youth alcohol and tobacco use rates across Adams County. ACYPC focuses on strengthening protective factors, promoting healthy lifestyles, and fostering supportive environments where youth can thrive. One of the coalition’s notable accomplishments has been bringing the Drug Free Clubs of America program to the Ohio Valley Local School District, providing students with incentives and opportunities to commit to living drug-free. This initiative supports positive decision-making, reinforces healthy behaviors, and helps create a culture of prevention among local youth.
Through this peer exchange, visiting teams discussed and shared best practices, exchanged ideas and knowledge, and engaged in peer networking events. Visiting teams also were provided opportunities to meet together and process the information as a team.