After eight years coordinating Deschutes County’s Family Drug Court, career social worker Helen Feroli will step aside at the end of the month to take a position with the local office of the Oregon Department of Transportation.

She said it’s to “free up my heartstrings a bit.”

“I’ve been in human services a long time,” she said. “This is a population that I just believe in and care for. I hope to stay involved, through a nonprofit, but I’d really like to take this time to focus on myself and my family.”

Family Drug Court is a court-supervised drug-treatment program that keeps people charged with crimes out of prison if they’re successful with the program. It began in Deschutes County in 2006 in the courtroom of retired Judge Alta Brady as part of a national movement and backed by a national model.

The difference in Deschutes County is it serves only parents, usually parents with small children.

“Our hope is that (the children) will be the motivation,” said chief deputy District Attorney Steve Gunnels, who’s been involved with Family Drug Court since 2006. “So their motivation isn’t just getting out of criminal charges, or reducing the likelihood of going to prison. We hope that their motivation is to become a good parent so that they can raise healthy children.”

Each Monday afternoon, around 25 participants meet in a judge’s courtroom, joined by a team of professionals who staff each case. They come together to check on each participant and see, for example, whether the person has used drugs in the past week, or whether he or she has attended all required treatment sessions.

Typically, if participants are doing what they’re supposed to, the judge will encourage them to keep at it, giving them “that psychological reward,” Gunnels said. And if they’re doing poorly, there could be a range of consequences, from short jail sanctions to writing an essay.

As Family Drug Court coordinator, Feroli has been “head coach” of the program, according to Gunnels. Each week, she pulls together her team of professionals, gathers information to aid the judge and keeps all participants in the loop regarding program requirements and their status.

On a recent Monday afternoon, as participants and kids milled around the courtroom, Feroli seemed to be the calm eye of the storm. Next to her at the prosecutor’s table, sitting far back in his chair and chatting with participants, was a sheriff’s deputy. Filling out the rows of seats behind Feroli were various specialists — mental health and drug-treatment therapists, court-appointed child advocates, parole and probation officers, life-skills coaches and caseworkers with the Department of Human Services.

All of the participants there had been diagnosed with a substance-abuse problem. All have young children who’ve been removed from their care or are at risk of being removed. And nearly all drug court participants have a prison sentence hanging over their heads if they’re kicked out of drug court.

But the real motivators are the kids, according to Gunnels. He thinks the “family” in “Family Drug Court” is why the 18-month program boasts a graduation rate of about 50 percent. The recidivism rate for graduates is far lower than the national average, according to program leaders.

Two years ago, Jakey Stamps, 45, was facing burglary and methamphetamine charges, and for him, as is often the case, those two crimes were related. Given his age and track record of reoffending, he was surprised to find people in drug court who believed in his ability to change. The real eye-opener, he said, was seeing himself as on the same side as prosecutors and judges, who’ve previously worked to incarcerate him.

“It showed me a side of the judicial system that I’ve never experienced before,” he said. “Court used to be an anxious experience. You’re going up there, and you’re used to being in trouble, so that all kind of alleviated.”

Today, Stamps has made it to level 5 — the highest level of Family Drug Court — and is days from graduating. He credits his success in part to Feroli’s willingness to drop whatever she was doing to help him.

“Helen is one of the most patient people I’ve ever met, and one of the most all-giving,” Stamps said. “She gives every ounce of energy she has to every participant and never acts like anyone is better or worse than anyone else.”

Feroli, 41, is in a long-term relationship and has a 16-year-old daughter. She plans to remain in the area after starting her new job. She began her career in social work at 18, working in preschools, and for much of the time since has gravitated toward the critical but not always heralded behind-the-scenes work involving grants and funding.

In her time coordinating the Deschutes County Family Drug Court, Feroli was recognized for her expertise and brought in by other courts around the state to conduct trainings and troubleshoot.

“She was innovative. She was tireless,” said retired Judge Brady. “She always had a sharp eye to running the program consistent with best practices to ensure we were getting the most back. She was an excellent drug court coordinator and a great professional to work with.”

Feroli was drawn to the drug court model because she believes if “systems are different, outcomes would be different.”

“It’s just a different approach to a problem we have as a community and as a nation, and as a human race,” she said. “And when you see the success stories, however small, it’s just a good reminder of the importance of this type of work.”

— Reporter: 541-383-0325, gandrews@bendbulletin.com