The Joshua Tree Drug Court held its 18th semi-annual graduation at the Yucca Valley Community Center Thursday. Before a room filled with family, friends, and well-wishers, Judge Rod Cortez handed out diplomas to the latest 14 graduates of the Joshua Tree Drug Court program. The drug court program is administered by Morongo Basin Mental Health and is an 18-month long program. Each graduate goes through four phases. The first phase is 16 weeks long in which they stabilize their lives and become abstinent. They are also tested for drugs three times a week during this phase, and after that they are tested at random intervals. The second phase helps them with education and employment. The third phase continues their recovery, and the fourth phase, which lasts three to six months, is after care. The highlight of the evening was the news that the children of one drug court graduate would be returned to her custody. This is the last drug court graduation sponsored by Morongo Basin Mental Health, as the mental health services will soon be taken over by Mental Health Systems.
