Harrison County Youth Court family intervention program graduates celebrate new beginning

BILOXI, Miss. (WLOX) - Thursday was graduation day for four participants of the Family Intervention Program through the Harrison County Youth Court. The program, previously known as drug court, helps parents with addictions who have lost custody of their children due to abuse or neglect, or CPS is somehow otherwise involved.

Participants in the program submit to drug screenings, therapy and NA meetings. On Thursday, they were honored for successfully completing the program and regained custody of their children.

For the graduates, this is a major step forward in life.

“I told them that I was not going to be here very long,” said Katherine Scott, who graduated from the program. “That I was not going to go through the program, because I was at that point in life where I didn’t think I could do anything and now here I am, a year later graduating and I have full custody of my child back and its the best feeling that could ever happen.”

“The ultimate goal is to get to today and then obviously to fight the possibility of relapse. Relapse is always a possibility. It’s part of recovery. So today is a wonderful day. We’re super excited, couldn’t be more proud of them,” said Judge Mike Dickinson, Harrison County Youth Court Judge.

At the end of the ceremony, graduates were invited to ring a bell to mark the occasion. The fourth graduate’s ceremony was held privately. Judge Dickinson said seven more people are set to enter the program next week.