It's been 8 years since Judge Edward Sosnick retired from the Oakland County Circuit Court.
Retirement, however, has been anything but for the longtime jurist who spent the better part of a decade presiding over the juvenile drug court program in Oakland County, a judicial assignment that became a "labor of love" for the ever-upbeat Sosnick.
Less than a month after retiring from the Circuit Court bench in 2012, Sosnick accepted a different role with the drug court, agreeing to serve as president of The RESTORE Foundation, a nonprofit organization created in 2008 to help supply funding for the treatment program.
"I believe deeply in the concept of therapeutic jurisprudence, which is at the heart of the drug court program," Sosnick said at the time. "As someone who has been involved with the drug court for years, I know that it works and that it has steered many of its participants onto a better path in life instead of churning them through the penal system.
"As a judge, I have seen the undeniable connection between drug use and crime, and how it continues to pack our prisons as a result," Sosnick added. "Drug courts, on the other hand, work to turn lives around. We are actually saving lives that otherwise would be lost if we didn't have this drug court option."
His challenge since accepting the role has been to raise much-needed funds for the program, which was launched in August of 2001 in Oakland County. The mission of the program, according to court officials, is to "protect public safety and reduce the incidence of drug crime by helping participants and their families achieve drug-free lifestyles" and correspondingly healthy family relationships.
Sosnick, a past recipient of the "Champion of Justice Award" from the State Bar of Michigan, has "picked the brains" of fund-raising experts from across the state in an effort to keep the drug court program on solid financial footing. He has spearheaded a number of fund-raising events over the past 8 years to keep the RESTORE Foundation in the public eye.
In a recent letter to supporters of RESTORE, Sosnick set the stage for a new chapter in the work of the organization.
"Drug abuse addiction and death by overdose are every parent's worst nightmare," Sosnick wrote. "Unintended drug overdose is the leading cause of accidental deaths in America.
"We know that young adults face problems unique to this age group," Sosnick said. "They are more at risk and underserved in difficulties related to depression, suicidal ideations, serious mental illness, substance abuse/misuse, and addiction. We also know that young adults aged 18-25 are most at risk in early recovery. The slightest setback can throw them out of recovery and back into full addiction."
Which is why, Sosnick explained, that the RESTORE Foundation and the Alliance of Coalitions "have partnered to create RESOLVE," a 16-week, two hours per week seminar for young persons in early recovery.
"Its topics include physical healing, grief and loss with addiction, interpersonal relations, financial health, legal challenges, job readiness, and educational opportunities," Sosnick wrote in his letter. "It gives them knowledge to use in gaining self-esteem, confidence, restarting their lives, and self-love the keys to permanent recovery. To date, approximately 700 people have participated in RESOLVE."
The number is impressive, yet Sosnick sees room for continued growth of the program if RESTORE supporters step up once again.
"Please help us fund and expand RESOLVE," Sosnick said, "by making a tax-deductible donation payable to The RESTORE Foundation by mail to: The RESTORE Foundation, 1760 S. Telegraph Road, Suite 300, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302 or donate online at therestorefoundation.org."
