About CADA – North County Programs – Santa Maria
CADA stands for the Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse. They’re an alcohol and drug rehab center with offices across California. This is their Teen Court program, located in Santa Maria. If you’re a minor who’s been arrested for the first time on minor drug related charges, you might be able to participate in this program to avoid a traditional court hearing. Parents can also request this program to address behavioral health concerns they have about their kids. There’s no fee associated with these services.
Here’s how it works. You’ll still have to appear in front of a judge and jury, but there’s a twist. The judge is an adult, and the entire jury is made up of your peers. You’ll stand in front of them with your parents and go through what happened. They’ll deliberate and come up with a unique sentence that focuses on healing and restoring your mind and body instead of just punishing you. For example, they might decide it would be best for you to enter an addiction treatment program to get help for your condition. Or, they might require you to perform community service. They may also ask you write apology letters to people you’ve hurt or participate as a juror in future Teen Court cases.
While this facility mainly focuses on Teen Court, the leaders here may also refer you directly to other services that they think are a better fit for you. Sometimes, they’ll decide that educational programs or peer support groups would fit your needs best. If that’s the case, you’ll start those services immediately and won’t go through the court process.
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