Starke County Court Services announced this week that Juvenile Probation Officer Abby Columbia and Offender Reintegration Officer Brandon Pettit received a grant to launch a pilot program.

The $2,000 grant from the Northern Indiana Community Foundation will be used to support the pilot program for non-adjudicated juveniles in SMART Recovery.

SMART Recovery, or Self-Management and Recovery Training, is an evidence-based approach to addiction recovery – a transformative method of moving from addictive substances and negative behaviors to a life of positive self-regard and willingness to change.

The date of the projected implementation is January 2024.