Judge Stephen Goss elected chairman of Council of Accountability Court Judges of Georgia

ALBANY — Dougherty County Superior Court Judge Stephen S. Goss was recently recognized for his efforts within the accountability court system when he was elected Chairman of the Council of Accountability Court Judges of Georgia during the council’s annual meeting.

According to CACJ Executive Director Taylor Jones, the council comprises judges from the 147 drug, mental health, veterans, DWI and family dependency drug treatment court programs in 48 of Georgia’s 49 judicial circuits and works to provide a unified framework that promotes and improves the quality, accessibility and administration of Georgia’s Accountability Courts.

Additionally, Jones said, the CACJ oversees the state budget, standards, program certifications and continuing education programming for the accountability system statewide.

“Judge Goss was nominated and then elected by the council body to lead the CACJ beginning July 1, 2017,” Jones said. “The council body consists of every judge in the state that presides over a drug court division, mental health court division, DUI court division and family treatment court division.

“He (Goss) is recognized within the state, in addition to nationally, as an expert and a leader in the accountability court field. Our national partners, such as the National Association of Drug Court Professionals, often call upon Judge Goss to share his expertise with other accountability courts from around the country. The further development and implementation of Georgia’s Accountability Courts will be effectively guided under the leadership of Judge Goss.”

Goss took time out of his busy schedule Tuesday to talk with The Herald about his appointment.

“This, of course, is a huge honor,” he said. “Anytime that you are involved in something that you have invested a lot of time in, like I have in the mental health and drug court for 15 years, and then you have an organization of something that you are a big believer in (recognize your work), it is obviously very meaningful. I am very excited to be elected by my peers, by fellow judges.

“Dougherty County, if you didn’t know, was the first mental health court in Georgia back in 2002. There were, of course, some drug courts before then, because drug courts, nationally, are about a decade older than mental health courts. Fast forward to recent times, and Gov. Deal has been very supportive of the whole concept of accountability courts, including family dependency treatment courts, which is mainly working with juveniles, but at the same time works with the whole family on substance abuse. With Gov. Deal’s support and the legislature’s support, legislatively by statute, the Council of Accountability Court Judges was created in 2015.”

According to Goss, the creation of the CACJ ensures the uniformity of accountability courts across the state.

“The council was created so we would have one state entity that would pull together all of these courts in some uniform fashion,” he said. “In other words, instead of it being some grassroots organization all over the state in different places, the CACJ would give some structure and uniformity to how these programs are formed, delivered and budgeted. And I can tell you, because I do a lot of work on this nationally, Georgia is now on the forefront of these programs as far as the state infrastructure and a state organization trying to have some uniformity and fidelity to model statewide. We are out in front of the curve now.”

Goss has presided in the Dougherty County Superior Court Mental Health/Substance Abuse treatment program since its inception in 2002. He has previously served as chair of the CACJ education committee and vice chairman of the executive committee.

As chairman of the CACJ, Goss’ duties will include presiding over all meetings of the council members and the executive committee, performing functions specifically required by statute and promoting the best interests of the general membership, implementing procedures to effectuate the projects and policies of the council, exercising supervision over council and committee activities, and appointing members and chairs of the Standing and Special Committees.

For more information about CACJ, visit www.gaaccountabilitycourts.org.