MARSHALL — A staff shortage at the Lyon County Jail has made it harder to provide drug testing for the area drug court. On Tuesday, Drug Court Coordinator Grady Holtberg asked Lyon County for assistance in paying contractors to help with testing.

County commissioners voted to set aside $1,440 to help with drug testing for the remainder of the year. After that, they said, the county and the drug treatment court could re-evaluate and see if more help was needed.

Holtberg presented a funding request to the county board at its regular meeting. Drug courts like the Southwest Community Adult Treatment Court help participating offenders get treatment for drug addiction, and work toward stable housing, employment and education. In Lon County, the program requires weekly court and support group attendance, 40 hours of structured activity a week, drug testing and random “knock and chats” with law enforcement.

Holtberg said the area treatment court program has about a 50% completion rate. However, he said studies have shown that people who participate in treatment court without graduating still gain skills that can make them less likely to be repeat offenders.

On average, it costs Minnesota over $41,000 a year for one inmate to be in prison, Holtberg said. The average annual cost of a drug treatment court participant is $4,500.

Drug testing is also part of the treatment court program, Holtberg said. In the past, Lyon County jail staff provided testing services. But with a staffing shortage, they no longer have time, Holtberg said.

Holtberg said the treatment court program would like to hire two testers to provide drug tetsing services three times a week. The estimated cost to do so would be about $5,760 a year. The program was asking for $2,880 from the county, with a match of $2,880 from treatment court participation fees.

County commissioners expressed support for treatment court.

“To get people back on track, it’s a really good program,” said Commissioner Gary Crowley.

Commissioner Charlie Sanow proposed that the county budget funding for about half of the requested amount, to help cover testing for the remainder of this year. At that point, the county and the treatment court could see what the program’s needs were.

Commissioner Rick Anderson agreed with the idea. This way, he said, “We’ll see if (jail) staffing can change.”

Commissioners approved the motion for $1,440 in funding for the drug testing.