Aberdeen Municipal Court has received a $21,000 grant from the Grays Harbor Community Foundation to help fund its Community Court program, a recent initiative that aims to help repeat misdemeanor offenders rehabilitate themselves by identifying and solving the underlying causes that lead to a cycle of problems.

Broadly, the program helps repeat offenders in Aberdeen — many of whom struggle with drug addiction and homelessness — by deferring a conviction of their most recent crime if they complete a list of tasks to rehabilitate themselves. The program is supported by more than a dozen local social services which convene weekly at the Coastal Community Action Program building to offer participants services that address issues such as hunger, mental illness and drug use. After three to six months in the program, participants ideally complete their list of goals and graduate from their program without a conviction.

The grant will help fund the program’s Judicial Coordinator position, held by Cinnamon Salley, who checks in on defendants in the program and keeps in contact with them around town.

Despite some cases where defendants fail the program and are sent back to face their conviction, Court Administrator Tammy Sund said it has led to quite a few success stories with its 19 graduates since its inception in February.

“It’s had a good success rate, and there are challenges, since some of them don’t make it through the program and there ends up being a conviction on their record,” she said. “But for most, it helps them get into housing which has made some good stories, and connect to services they need.”

Currently, there are 50 defendants in the program and more than 150 hours of community service have been completed as a result.