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Life came at Karen Locklear hard.

Following a relatively stable and happy childhood, she found herself, at age 19, a single mother of two children, one with cystic fibrosis.

The stress of motherhood, plus the chaotic nature of her life started what would be a deep spiral for the next several years.

“It was a lot,� said Locklear, of Rome. “My mental health was falling apart.�

But on May 22, Locklear will be the sole graduate from the most recent Rome Circuit Mental Health Court.

For years, she tried self-medicating with drugs, starting off by abusing prescription drugs and marijuana, then moving on to cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin.

“The way that mental health played a part in my addiction is, I didn’t have much to turn to,� she said. “I was broken down. I just wasn’t a happy person and those drugs made me a happy person. So I clung to that because I didn’t have anything else to cling to.�

Still, Locklear hadn’t quite reached rock bottom.

In and out of rehabilitation facilities, hospitals and prison, she bore little resemblance to the person raised in a loving home.

“I was full of life as a teenager, had lots of friends and was happy then,� Locklear, 38, said.

Even with more than 30 arrests, prison time, homelessness and the overdose death of her fiancé, she continued to spiral. Over the course of the next 10 years, Locklear said, she was in and out of crisis stabilization units, battling addiction, grief and trauma that had accumulated over the years.

Rock bottom finally came when she was pulled over for a seatbelt violation, a seemingly benign misdemeanor offense, but there was more to come.

Soon she was being questioned by FBI and GBI agents, and looming federal charges made her take a hard look at her life.

So when she was given a referral for Rome Circuit Mental Health Court — an accountability court offered through Floyd County Superior Court — for the first time in a long time, she had hope.

Commitment required

“Mental Health Court is an excellent option for those individuals who have previously been incarcerated,� said Coordinator Amy Bergstrom.

“While mental health and some recovery services are provided in correctional facilities, individuals are not learning how to deal with real life, day-to-day issues,� she added. “Accountability courts allow for extensive supervision while also providing participants with the tools needed to not only address their mental health conditions, but how to become productive members of society.�

ItÐÔÊӽ紫ý an 18- to 24-month program, with five phases. Aside from curfews, random drug screens, in-house counseling sessions and evidence-based treatment groups, participants are expected to find stable employment and complete community service projects.

“Additionally, they appear before Judge Bryan Johnson on a weekly basis, where he discusses with them their week, acknowledging their achievements, or addressing any infractions that may have occurred,� Bergstrom said.

The Rome Circuit MHC was founded in 2016 and was under the leadership of Chief Judge Jack Niedrach until 2023, when Judge Johnson took the reins.

It requires a lot of its participants, Bergstrom said.

“The program requires a realization that what has worked for them in the past has lead them to where they currently are at, involved with the criminal justice system,� she said.

An important part is making a commitment to address their mental health concerns, which can have a significant impact on their day-to-day lives.

Most participants have co-occurring diagnoses of addiction and mental health issues, Bergstrom said, so working their addiction recovery also is key to succeeding.

“But the most important commitment they can make is to themselves — accepting the fact they cannot go back and change their past, forgiving themselves for their wrongdoings, forging ahead on the days that seem unbearable, and striving for a happy and productive life,� she said.

Path to recovery

Locklear said when she learned about the program, she saw it for the opportunity that it was — sort of.

“At first I was like, ‘I’m not going to do this, I’m going to run,’� she admitted.

Her biggest fear in that moment? Disappointing her family.

“Every program that Rome, Georgia, has to offer, I’ve done it, and I have failed every last one of them,� Locklear said.

That fear became her motivation and set her on a path of recovery.

“I had to make a decision on whether I was going to live or die,� Locklear said. “My life had become so out of control and so miserable that it came down to life or death. I was just tired. �

That decision to change the trajectory of her life built a sense of resiliency and strength that bloomed while she was in the program, she said.

Her hard work and dedication are paying off as she is set to graduate from the program May 22. She credits the program with giving her a desire to not only live, but to embrace the possibilities of a life without addiction and supported mental health.

“ThereÐÔÊӽ紫ý something different with this program,â€� Locklear said. “ItÐÔÊӽ紫ý the people over this program. They care about you. They don’t care about what you’ve done. They put so much into their participants.â€�

Bergstrom said that, since inception, 52 participants have graduated the MHC program — and it is by no means an easy commitment.

“One misconception is that it is an easy program,� Bergstrom said. “It takes dedication and a true desire for change.�

She said it is rewarding to see the growth in participants from beginning to graduation.

“Witnessing an individualÐÔÊӽ紫ý transformation is by far the most rewarding part of my career,â€� Bergstrom said. “Some participants come in with little to no hope left ... To watch as an individual takes the time to re-learn themselves, invest in their emotional, mental, and physical health — it is extremely exciting.â€�