Cobb Accountability Court Experts Speak at State Conference

September 24, 2024 - Last week at Georgia's Council of Accountability Court Judges' Conference, Cobb's Accountability Court Director Jennifer Tillery and Drug Court Coordinator Porsha Winfrey shared their expertise with over 200 colleagues. This marks the second time this year that members of Cobb's staff have been selected by their peers to share their expertise with colleagues from across the state.

Mrs. Tillery and Ms. Winfrey joined Dr. Shonali Saha, a board-certified internal and addiction medicine specialist, to discuss Cobb's Medication for Addiction Treatment (MAT) Program. One of the first of its kind in Georgia, Cobb's MAT Program offers participants access to additional medicine services and free medications as part of their accountability court treatment. They provided a detailed model of proactive partnerships between a treatment court, a doctor's office, and a local pharmacy. Cobb's pioneering partnership has increased participant satisfaction and retention.

Mrs. Tillery also presented with Greg Wilson, Associate Director at the Carl Vinson Institute of Government, to discuss best practices in developing relationships with community business partners. Accountability Court participants must be employed as part of their treatment, and partnerships like groups like WorkSource Cobb are essential to participants' success. Mrs. Tillery and Mr. Wilson educated colleagues on the importance of ancillary services to ensure long-term success after graduation and how providing educational assistance and workforce development training ensures employability and contributes to community betterment.

Cobb County's Accountability Courts are among the first of their kind in Georgia, and twenty-two years later, the programs continue to be recognized for excellence by their peers. The programs are an alternative to incarceration for individuals involved in the justice system with substance use and mental health disorders. The 18-24-month programs use a combination of close supervision, individualized, evidence-based treatment, and recovery support to hold offenders accountable for their actions and teach them to be productive members of the community.