In 2016, Yreka's Kathleen Hurt was addicted to drugs and on her way to serving more than four years in prison. Charged with several felony offenses, mostly related to drug use, she was on her last strike and her last chance when a program called Teen Challenge saved her life.

In 2016, Yreka’s Kathleen Hurt was addicted to drugs and on her way to serving more than four years in prison. Charged with several felony offenses, mostly related to drug use, she was on her last strike and her last chance when a program called Teen Challenge saved her life.

Last week, 33 year old Hurt graduated from Siskiyou County’s Drug Court. All charges against her were reduced to misdemeanors and dismissed by Siskiyou County Superior Court Judge Karen Dixon.

After spending 13 months at Teen Challenge Redwoods, a drug rehabilitation center in Eureka, Hurt is now two years sober. Since completing the rigorous Drug Court program, her probation was terminated, all fines and fees were forgiven, and she is now living a happy and productive life she can be proud of.

At her Oct. 4 graduation ceremony at the Siskiyou County Courthouse, which was celebrated with cake, gifts, warm wishes and hugs, Hurt encouraged other Drug Court participants to continue on their journey of recovery and apologized to the police officers who arrested her in the past.

When reviewing her charges, Dixon said, “It’s hard to believe the person in this report is the same person sitting here today. You have successfully lived up to the terms of your probation and have demonstrated an ability to live an upright, law abiding life.”

Hurt said she was addicted to drugs from 2011 to February 2016, including alcohol, meth, molly, pills, heroin – “all of them.”

For the past six months, she’s been home in Yreka, building trust with her family and making new friends who support her sober way of life. Hurt now has joint custody of her 15 year old daughter, from whom she’d been estranged for seven years, and she’s making progress toward reuniting with her 13 year old son.

“When I first met Katie in jail there was something about her that led me to believe that she had a chance to turn her life around,” said Siskiyou County Corrections Services Specialist Ray Wolf, who works at the Day Reporting Center, helping participants access programs they need, including rehab. “When she was at the DRC, she showed compassion toward other inmates, and was willing to work and help others. I knew then that if we could get her in the right environment, she could make the needed changes. That environment turned out to be Teen Challenge Redwoods. Upon her return to the area, she immediately took more steps in the right direction through volunteer work, public speaking about her journey and obtaining a job and a good place to live. She is an amazing person who has pulled off one of the greatest comebacks I’ve ever seen. I’m confident that she will continue to progress, and will help others on the road to recovery.”

“It feels really good,” Hurt told the court at her final appearance last week. She’s been working at Yreka Transfer full time for four months, where she became certified in operating forklifts and is learning new skills – most notably the confidence to interact with the public, as well as those who brought her down in her former life.

“I love my job,” Hurt said. “I never thought I’d say that, but I get up early and go. I have no free time, but that’s okay, because free time gets me in trouble. I’m glad with the choices I’m making nowadays.”

Dixon said Drug Court participants are asked to change “just about everything in their lives,” including their friends and where they live. They are required to get a job if they can, attend court several times a week and check in with their probation officer. They’re also subjected to drug testing.

“You’ve done all those things,” Dixon told Hurt. “It wasn’t easy, but you did it.”

Dixon said she is struck by how destructive drug abuse is to families, particularly children. She encouraged Hurt to continue proving her intentions and gaining the trust of those who she hurt in the past.

“This is a real accomplishment,” said Dixon. “It’s been an uphill climb, but you’ve climbed all the way up the hill. You’ve done it.” She called Hurt’s hard work and sacrifice “a great example to all of us.”

In a letter Hurt read aloud in Drug Court, she thanked everyone for their time and hard work, and for “believing in me, even with I didn’t believe in myself.”

“If I could go back and tell myself my life could be everything I wanted it to be and more, I probably wouldn’t believe it ... I thank God every day for hitting rock bottom and having one last chance.”

Hurt was asked to write a letter to her arresting officer, but she said everyone at the Yreka Police Department dealt with her at one time or another, so she wrote a letter to all of them.

“Thank you YPD for all you do. I am sorry for how I acted and I promise it will never happen again. Thank you for your kindness and risking your lives for me and my loved ones’ safety, even when you were protecting me from myself.”

Siskiyou County Public Defender Lael Kayfetz said Hurt is an inspiration to others and is demonstrating that if she can clean up her life, others can, too. Siskiyou County Deputy Probation Officer Holly Persing presented Hurt with a gift bag full of warm clothes and a good pair of boots that she can wear to work this winter.

“(Katie) is a great example,” said Persing. “She really struggled with her addiction, but she went to rehab, came back, and is now employed. She has a great relationship with her family and is a productive member of society.”

Dixon encouraged Hurt to return for any assistance she needs as she continues through life. “You don’t have to commit a crime to access our services,” she reminded her.

Hurt said she plans to stick close to her family and keep in contact with the people she met at Teen Challenge. She also has new friends, who support her lifestyle – most notably, Wolf.

Now that her court fines have been forgiven, money she has been paying toward them will instead be saved to eventually purchase a car, so she doesn’t have to borrow her mother’s any longer, Hurt said.

As for serving as an inspiration for others, Hurt said she never thought she’d be a good example, but she’s taking on the role with grace. She encouraged the other Drug Court participants to continue their work, and said if she can accomplish what she has, they can, too.

About Drug Court

According to the National Association of Drug Court Professionals website, 20.2 million American adults (about 1 in 10) have a substance use disorder, and 43.6 million (about 1 in 5) have a mental health problem. Nearly eight million of these individuals suffer from co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders, the website states.

People with these disorders are more likely to be incarcerated than treated. Drug Court attempts to break that cycle by helping people with drug addictions get treatment and stay clean, it also results in savings to taxpayers, according to the website.

Eligible drug-addicted people may be sent to Drug Court in lieu of traditional justice system case processings. Drug Courts produce benefits of $6,208 per participant, returning up to $27 for every $1 invested, according to the NADCP.

The first Drug Court was launched in 1989 in Miami-Dade County in Florida, laying the foundation for 30 years of reform, the NADCP states. The average national completion rate for treatment courts is nearly 60 percent, approximately two-thirds higher than probation and more than twice the rate of probationers with substance use disorders, according to the website.