Freeholders Recognize Pride Committee, Judge

CREST HAVEN – Freeholders, along with the Mental Health, Alcohol and Drug Abuse (MHADA) Board, recognized Recovery Court Judge Mark Sandson and the Cape May County PRIDE Committee Dec. 10.
“Both of these awardees are on different ends of the opioid and heroin abuse crisis that we face here in Cape May County,” said Freeholder Jeffrey Pierson. “The PRIDE Committee represents the prevention efforts to improve resiliency in the strengths of lives in our youth, while Judge Sandson has created a climate of accountability and support for our residents who are on the road to recovery through the judicial system.
“These honorees have put extraordinary efforts forward to address our county’s future in the areas of opioid and heroin abuse, and we thank them for both the vision and their time,” he continued.
PRIDE Committee
The PRIDE Committee, founded in 2013, includes members of the county Prosecutor’s Office, county Superintendent of Schools/Office of Education, Sea Isle City Board of Education, and county Department of Human Services.    
The PRIDE (prevention, resources, innovation, development and education) Committee’s initial efforts created awareness in the community about the epidemic of prescription drugs, opioid misuse, and the dangers of heroin in Cape May County, said Pierson.
He noted that in 2018, the committee incorporated the use of ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences), and developed strategies for educators to use when children have experienced trauma, and need assistance in the classroom.
The committee, through collaborative funding, has held five general community conferences on aspects of addiction and/or child trauma, and sponsored two three-day training sessions dedicated to developing resiliency teams in each school building to assist youth.
They also surveyed seventh, ninth, 11th, and 12th graders in Cape May County to determine drug trends.    
“This is what a community coalition is all about,” said Pierson. “They identify a need and pitch in to create a holistic approach to addressing an important issue to the county, and at the same time, reach out to others involved in the effort to be sure that the results are achieved.”
Judge Mark Sandson
Sandson practiced law for 30 years prior to becoming a judge in 2007. He was assigned as the county Recovery Court judge in 2015.
Under Sandson’s leadership, the number of participants in drug court increased 65%, from 198 in 2015 to 325 in August 2019, according to Pierson. The number of graduates also increased, from 12 in 2015 to 69 in 2019.
The number of expungements is approximately 140, “giving the graduates the opportunity to be cleared of a charge that brought them into the program initially,” said Pierson.
He mentioned that Sandson was instrumental in changing the name from Drug Court to Recovery Court.
“Judge Sandson has touched the lives of hundreds of people in Cape May County, and has given them a second chance,” said Pierson. “He’s a premier advocate of the role that recovery has in changing paths in a person’s life.
“He is firm, but never stops believing in the potential of those in Recovery Court to achieve and live productive, meaningful lives. We thank him for such a job well done,” he continued.
Sandson referred to several audience members as “my team,” and urged them to join him at the front of the room. He also pointed out that there were several graduates of Recovery Court in attendance.
“This is the only group in the criminal justice system where we have a collaborative court,” said Sandson. “We are not adversaries.
“We have a tremendously operating program in the county that had a bad drug problem, still does, but it was one that was dealt with by incarceration when we first started, and we all know we can’t incarcerate our way out of this problem.
“The only way is treatment. Treatment works,” he continued.
He added that it’s the only program in the criminal justice system where a complete expungement can be given.
“We’re focused towards employment, we’re focused towards creating productive citizens of this county, and we have succeeded to a great extent because of the team,” said Sandson.
He thanked freeholders, and assured them that “we intend to move forward with this program into the future.”