Sometimes, Dallas County Juvenile and Family Drug Court coordinator Miah Tolbert said all people need is for someone to show they care.

Through the program, which began in 2008, she said that attitude is making a difference in many lives.

The court program recently held its annual graduation where 19 received certificates for completing the necessary steps to be considered graduates. The numbers, Tolbert said, have grown steadily.

“We currently have 61 active at this time,” she said. “We have seen great success.”

The program, she said, mixes a caring attitude with an approach that holds juveniles and families accountable for their behavior.

“We might call them in for two to three drug tests per week,” she said. “We might drug test them on a Monday and then call them back on a Tuesday.”

Those who are placed in the program have a three-step process that often leads to success stories.

In the first phase, for the first three months they are screened two to three times per week. In the second phase, participants meet twice a month with the judge. In the third phase, they meet once a month with the judge.

More and more participants, Tolbert said, aren’t waiting for the courts to place them in the program.

“We have a lot of people that just walk in and want to be a part of the program,” she said. “A lot of them just want help and they realize recovery is a lifelong process.”

In addition to helping participants beat their drug habits, the program also gives them another step on the road to success. There are currently 40 people enrolled in GED classes and six who attend classes at Wallace Community College. There is also drug counseling and parenting classes that are offered.

Those who complete the juvenile and family drug court programs are also given gifts, Tolbert said.

“This year we gave them a T-shirt and a carry bag to honor their courageous efforts,” she said. “We like to honor them with something at the events.”