(Cleveland) – The 49th Graduation Ceremony of the Greater Cleveland Drug Court, now under the direction of Cleveland Municipal Court Judge Lauren C. Moore, will take place Wednesday, June 10, 2015 at 4:30 p.m. in the Cuyahoga County Jury Assembly Room located on the fourth floor of the Justice Center.

A total of 19 people will graduate, which brings the total number of people who successfully completed the program to 1,468 since it began 18 years ago.  Of that number, almost 80% remain sober and drug-free.

The keynote speaker for the ceremony will be Toni Jackson, the mother of a 24 year old son who died from a heroin overdose last year.

“Bryan was my only child, a gifted artist and a very good student who was doing 12^th grade math in the fifth grade.  As the result of a job injury, he became addicted to Oxycontin and then heroin.  He told me it happened so fast.  He did get help, but it just wasn’t enough to keep him alive, said Toni, who quit a good-paying job and is now a recovery advocate, primarily working to help young people just like Bryan.

“It’s too late for my child, but if I can save one life, it’s all worth it,” she said. 

Judge Moore took over the Greater Cleveland Drug Court docket at the beginning of the year and recently invited Toni to speak to those entering the program.

“The graduates and family members need to hear her story.  My heart goes out to every parent that has gone through this and unfortunately more will because of the heroin epidemic.  Toni is one strong woman whose life focus has changed.  That’s what this program is about, changing lives,” said Judge Moore.

The Drug Court Program began in the Cleveland Municipal Court in 1998 and has since expanded throughout Cuyahoga County.