KAHULUI, Hawai`i – Friends of the Maui Drug Court has received a $2,000 donation from the Bank of Hawaii Charitable Foundation to support its services to Drug Court clients, FMDC President Dr. S. Larry Schlesinger has announced.

Schlesinger and FMDC Administrative Assistant David Raatz received the grant from Kevin Baptist, Bank of Hawaii's Senior Vice President and Maui Region and Island Manger, in a ceremony at Bankoh's Wailuku branch last month.

"We are grateful for this significant grant from the Bank of Hawaii Charitable Foundation," Schlesinger said in a news release. "This donation provides important operational support to FMDC, allowing us to efficiently fulfill our mission of helping the Drug Court break the cycle of substance abuse and crime in Maui County."

The Maui/Molokai Drug Court provides a continuum of intervention, treatment and prevention programs aimed at reducing substance abuse and its devastating impact on Maui County families and community resources, according to the news release. The Drug Court provides non-violent offenders an opportunity to avoid or minimize incarceration upon completion of an intensive, judicially supervised substance abuse treatment program.

Since the Drug Court commenced operations in 2000, FMDC has provided critical ancillary services to support the rehabilitation of Drug Court clients, including milestone awards, medical and dental treatment and child care. Nearly 300 former defendants have graduated from the Maui/Moloka`i Drug Court.

More information about Friends of the Maui Drug Court and the Maui/Moloka`i Drug Court is available at http://mauidrugcourt.info/.