The cries of Jasen Flores’ young child could be heard throughout the second floor of the Carbon County Courthouse on Wednesday night.

While many dads may have been embarrassed, Flores was not. Instead, he was minutes away from becoming part of the nine-member Carbon County Drug Treatment Court graduating class, the largest in the program’s brief history.

“It’s all about perspective,” Flores said. “I remember sitting in jail and my kid was 1 month old and I was wishing I would just be able to hear him cry. You have to change your perspective. I’m grateful to be sober today and grateful to be alive.”

Established in 2019, the drug treatment court is an alternative to traditional criminal justice proceedings for individuals struggling with substance use disorders. The program focuses on addressing the root causes of addiction and supporting participants in achieving long-term recovery.

In addition to Flores, graduates honored Wednesday night included Holly Getz, Stacy Behler, Melissa Cesanek, Milo Daddino, Morgan Delvillaggio, Kyle Nace, Cynthia Schleicher and John Wuchter.

“We have 25% of the participants in the program graduating tonight,” Common Pleas Judge Joseph Matika said during Wednesday’s ceremony. “Recovery doesn’t just happen in a courtroom. It happens in a treatment center, at home and in communities all around the world. Recovery is the transformation of lives. Addiction nearly took everything from these men and women. They tried so hard to change, but were unable to do it on their own. Today, the nine of them are living proof that treatment and recovery do work.”

The program is designed for non-violent offenders who have been charged with drug-related crimes and are willing to seek help for their addiction. Participants undergo a comprehensive treatment plan, which includes counseling, support groups, and regular drug testing.

“I don’t think I would be standing here if drug treatment court had not come to Carbon County,” Getz said. “I was what you would call a frequent flyer going in and out of probation and prison. When I got this opportunity, I got support that changed my life.”

Getz said she was scared and lonely when she came into the program and her moral compass was, “somewhere in the Bermuda Triangle.”

“I didn’t complete this program perfectly, but I never quit,” she added. “I’m going to take everything I acquired in the last five years and utilize it in my life and try to show those with addiction that recovery is possible.”

Participants progress through the program’s multiple phases as they complete treatment milestones and demonstrate progress in their recovery. The program also includes regular court appearances, where participants meet with the judge and treatment team to review their progress and address any challenges or setbacks.

“I remember sitting in jail when I first was thinking about going into the program,” Delvillaggio said. “Everybody told me not to do it. They said I would fail. I proved them all wrong. There have been ups and downs over the last few years but I wouldn’t be who I am today without this program.”

Tammy Recker, treatment court coordinator, was working the 24-hour hotline the night Flores overdosed.

“I just remember him telling me on the phone that he didn’t want to die,” Recker said. “Seeing him up here today, I’m just so honored to be a part of this.”

Flores thanked the drug treatment court team for helping him “become a better son and father.”

“To find people who genuinely care about you and want you to do well is rare,” he said. “This program is hard. But the connections you make when you stick with the program and the person you become, it’s all worth it.”

Getz and Nace each received certificates and $125 cash as an award from the Matthew Reabold Memorial Fund. Each year, two graduates, one who did everything asked of them to complete the program and the other who had a road to recovery filled with bumps and potholes, are honored. The fund was started by the family of Reabold, who died in 2016 after a battle with opioid addiction.