(May 4, 2023) — On Thursday, Sikeston Mayor Greg Turnbow declared May as Treatment Court Month. For more than three decades treatment courts have been restoring lives and families. With more than 4,000 treatment courts nationwide, they are the cornerstone of justice reform sweeping the nation.

Serving more than 1.5 million individuals, treatment courts are now recognized as the most successful justice system intervention in our nation’s history and save an average of $6,000 for every individual they serve.

Treatment courts improve education, employment, housing, and financial stability while promoting family reunification, reducing foster care placements, and increasing the rate of addicted mothers delivering babies who are fully drug free.

Treatment courts facilitate community-wide partnerships, bringing together public safety and public health, also demonstrating that when one person rises out of substance use and crime, we all rise.

Present for the signing were, from left: Jamie Brown with Gibson Recovery Center; Lora Estes with Probation and Parole; Greg Turnbow, Sikeston mayor; Judge James Pinkston; Stephanie N. Lemmons, treatment court administrator and Marcie Lawson, CEO of the Sikeston Regional Chamber and Area Economic Development Corporation.