Strafford County Drug Treatment Court

05/23/2024

Strafford County Drug Treatment Court representing at the All Rise National Conference in Anaheim, CA! Prosecutor, Clinician and Defense Counsel are all in!

07/10/2023

03/03/2023

The country star and actor will be joined at the Franklin Theatre by three country songwriters who co-penned many of his hits.

01/03/2023

'They saw something in me that I didn’t see’

If you told Shawn Hartford that he would be graduating from Strafford County Drug Treatment Court with nearly a year of sobriety under his belt, a stable home, solid job and a promising future, he probably wouldn’t have believed you.

That’s because he found it hard to believe in himself.

“This time last year, I was homeless and living in a car. I was actively using. I had gotten into some legal trouble and drug court thought I was a good candidate to get me back on my feet. They saw something in me that I didn’t see,” Shawn says.


Shawn, 36, says he grew up in an addictive household. His mother died from an overdose of fentanyl and he**in in 2019. All he could envision for himself was a life of incarceration and addiction. “I really didn’t see any other side...I didn’t think I was ever going to get sober and I thought for sure it was going to kill me,” says Shawn, who entered drug court in 2020.

On Dec. 13, Shawn was among seven Strafford County Drug Treatment Court participants to graduate from the program. It was a particularly proud and poignant moment for the Somersworth resident, who believes his mother was there watching. “I know she would be proud.”

Shawn largely credits his recovery to his drug court treatment team. “It wasn’t easy by any means. It’s not just a one-time deal trying to get sober,” he says. But his team was “really supportive and they kept pushing me when I didn’t want to keep going.”

Recovery was incremental. He gradually achieved more stability and took on more responsibility for his life. He went from living in a car to renting a single bedroom and working part time to moving into an apartment of his own this past summer.

The Friends of NH Drug Courts assisted with the move by awarding Shawn a $500 grant to furnish the new home he shares with his girlfriend and her two young children. He now works full time.

“I’ve got a new life. I’ve got a new family. I’ve got a full-time, well-paying job. I’ve got a safe place to live in a nice community,” Shawn says. “I couldn’t have done it without drug court and the (drug court) team and their resources and patience and the help of the Friend's grant."

12/26/2022

We are very sorry to hear of Tyler’s passing. The words that John used to describe his character are perfectly said. He helped so many and was selfless in his work.

12/15/2022

Congratulations to the seven participants of Strafford County Drug Treatment Court who graduated at commencement ceremonies in Dec. 13. Recovery is a lifelong journey; they have taken critical steps toward a life of . Great work!

09/08/2022

Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) Guides Check out these newly revised online guides to help clinicians, treatment court team members, and treatment court participants better understand medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD). These guides were created by NADCP and the American Society...