Congressman Henry Cuellar on Tuesday announced $4 million in federal funds for two district court programs in Laredo. The Webb County Court at Law II Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) Court Program will receive $2 million over the next five years, while Webb County’s 406^th Judicial District Adult Drug Court Program will receive $2 million over the next five years to expand its current services. The Webb County Court at Law - DWI Court will use this funding to tackle the problem of drinking and driving in the community by expanding the Webb County DWI Court. The Webb 406th District Drug Court Program (DCP) will provide nonviolent offenders with mental health treatment, drug rehabilitation, and additional services aimed at promoting self-sufficiency. This funding will allow both court programs, which were scheduled to end this year, to continue to run for an additional five years. It will specifically help those whose lives are affected by alcohol and drug dependency.

Webb County Court at Law II Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) Court Program

The Webb County Court at Law II Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) Court Program will receive $2 million in federal funding for the Webb County Court at Law - DWI Court. This award comes from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and will be distributed over five years, at $400,000 per year. This is the second grant award for the DWI Court, the first being awarded for $975,000 in 2015.  Over the last three years, the DWI Court has served over 160 participations, and has graduated over 120 program participants. It is estimated that 280 participants will benefit during the five-year funding of the DWI court project. The court will focus on adults in Webb County who have been arrested two or more times for Driving While Intoxicated and have an alcohol or drug use disorder, including those participants who have co-occurring mental health disorders. With this funding, the Court will provide prompt alcohol and drug treatment and recovery support services, including screenings, assessments, case management, and medication-assisted therapy to DWI Court participants.

Webb County’s 406^th Judicial District Adult Drug Court Program

Webb County’s 406^th Judicial District Adult Drug Court Program will receive $2 million in grant funding to help adults in Webb County, and the surrounding area, who are primarily alcohol and opiate dependent and who have co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorders. The award comes from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and will be distributed over a period of five years, $400,000 per year, which will continue the Webb County 406th District Court – Drug Court Program. The Webb 406th District Drug Court Program (DCP) provides nonviolent offenders who are alcohol dependent and have psychiatric and substance use disorders, a second chance to change their negative behaviors. The Court provides monitoring, drug and alcohol testing, case management, community outreach, substance abuse education and treatment referrals. Upon successful completion of drug court program, the District Attorney of Webb County, Texas will file a Motion to Dismiss the participants case. To date, the court has received a total of $4,925,000 in federal funding, helping over 900 individuals served by this program. This new funding will add an additional 100 participants to the program over the five-year grant – increasing from 360 to 460 participants. This year, this program will expand treatment to the counties of Zapata, Jim Hogg and Starr. 

“According to information provided by the City of Laredo Health Department, there have been 168 overdose deaths since 2012, which averages to about 3 deaths a month. One death is one too many,” said Congressman Cuellar. “We need to help put an end to this epidemic, and one way of doing so is by working together with our court system and provide help to those who need it the most.”

Of these 168 deaths, 149 were attributed to heroin and opioids.

The Texas Department of Transportation, in a 2017 report, stated that ten people lost their lives as a result of DWI-related accidents in Webb County. This was the result of a total of 120 crashes and injuries the same year. A 2018 report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration states that Texas was the highest in alcohol-impaired driving fatalities with a total of 1,438.

“Judicial involvement and supervision provided by our courts, combined with effective treatment services, is an important strategy to break the cycle of criminal behavior, alcohol use, and incarceration,” added Congressman Cuellar. “I congratulate Judge Oscar Hale, Judge Oscar Villarreal and the staff with the respective court programs for taking the lead and help put an end to this cycle.”

Oscar Jesus Hale, Jr. said, “During the course of the past ten years we have established a proven substance abuse treatment program here in Webb County with over 500 program graduates to date; and now with the award of this operation and expansion grant it is our goal to expand services to the surrounding rural areas of South Texas and to continue to provide the same quality treatment for all participants.” 

Judge Villarreal expressed his desire for a safer community as he and County Court-at-Law II continue to improve the community through several initiatives, including the DWI Court Program. “Webb County Court-at-Law II offers this intense treatment program for non-violent individuals to treat alcohol dependency and addiction, and simultaneously make our community safer”.