PORT ANGELES — Clallam County has hired a new drug court coordinator.
Kevin Crittenden, 48, was introduced at the county commissioners meeting on July 17.
Crittenden faces the tall task of replacing longtime Clallam County Drug Court Coordinator Preston Kayes, who will retire Aug. 17.
Kayes received the 2011 Drug Court Practitioner of the Year Award from the Washington State Association of Drug Court Professionals.
“For many years, he has served us very well,” said Clallam County Superior Court Judge Ken Williams, who presides over the adult drug court and spearheaded a local effort to win a $600,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice to establish the Clallam County Juvenile Drug Court in 1997.
“Frankly, I think he is the best drug court coordinator in the state.”
The Clallam County adult drug court was established in 1999, the same year Kayes became drug court coordinator.
Kayes, who turns 65 in August, postponed his retirement by one month to help Crittenden get acclimated to the job.
Crittenden worked in the Clallam County Family and Juvenile Services Facility as a probation counselor for 17 years before moving to King County to work as a juvenile detention officer five years ago.
He spent the last four years working in the Snohomish County juvenile justice system.
“I’ve worked in the drug court program in previous years here,” Crittenden said.
“I hope to draw off some of those previous relationships to coordinate the continued success of the juvenile and adult drug court in Clallam County.”
Crittenden said the chance to job-shadow his predecessor for a month is a “pretty unheard of opportunity.”
He said he hopes to maintain and continuity of the program as it has been established.
“Almost everywhere I go, I’m told I have big shoes to fill,” said Crittenden, whose first day was July 16.
“I’m hoping to fill those shoes.”
The drug court coordinator oversees the adult and juvenile drug courts — diversion programs aimed at reducing recidivism by breaking the cycle of addiction.
To graduate, a misdemeanor drug offender must achieve at least a year of sobriety with intensive outpatient treatment and regular group and self-help meetings.
Some endure months of rigorous in-patient treatment.
Charges are dismissed with the successful completion of drug court.
Violent offenders and sex offenders are not eligible.
“If we treat the problem instead of prosecute the symptoms of the problem, you would expect to have better results,” Kayes said.
“And we do.”
Proponents of therapeutic court say it restores lives and saves taxpayer dollars by reducing court and jail costs.
The initial skeptics of drug court program have come to realize how effective it is, Kayes said.
It takes the average graduate about 18 months to complete the program.
Since 1999, 572 have entered adult drug court and 247 have graduated. Sixty-three adults are still active.
Since 2008, 83 kids have graduated from juvenile drug court.
Over the last 13 years, Kayes said many Clallam County addicts have shifted away from methamphetamine and turned to heroin and opiate-based painkillers.
Neighboring Jefferson County has had a drug court since 2003.
Williams told commissioners this month that Clallam County received “a number of exceptionally well-qualified candidates.”
“We were able to select one who is probably familiar to many of you,” Williams said.
“He has spent the last few years working in Snohomish County, where he was the coordinator for a time with their juvenile drug court and also their at-risk youth drug court.
“He comes highly recommended.”
Kayes, who will be recognized by commissioners in a future board meeting, said Crittenden “is a fine man that will put great effort” into maintaining the drug courts.
Crittenden will work closely with the other key players in the program, including judges Williams and George L. Wood, case manager Jaymie Doane and attorneys John Hayden, Stormy Howell and Tracey Lassus.
“I expect him to do a great job,” Kayes said.
Meanwhile, Kayes and his wife plan to stay on the North Olympic Peninsula in retirement.
“Sequim is home for us,” he said.
Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5072, or at rob.ollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
