CLERMONT COUNTY, Ohio — For many struggling with substance, landing in jail can feel like rock bottom. Clermont County has a program that gives individuals another option.
Judge Anita Bechman with Clermont County Municipal Court hears case after case in her courtroom, but unlike others, she has an alternative sentencing option for some.
"She has been accepted by the CASC program," Bechmann said on Tuesday as she presided over an OVI case.
CASC is short for Community Alternative Sentencing Center.
Learn how the CASC program has changed the lives of some in Clermont County:
The idea for the program began at the height of the opioid crisis, according to Bechmann, who was integral in the program's start in Clermont County.
Since then, it's transformed into a program that transforms the lives of those dealing with substance abuse — including the life of Michael Baker.
"I made some mistakes, I was pretty heavy into alcohol. I had some mental health issues and alcoholism I was struggling with,” said Baker. “I got an OVI, and it was probably the best thing that ever happened to me."
His OVI led Baker to Bechmann’s courtroom, where she gave him a choice: CASC or jail. I asked Baker why he chose the CASC program.
"I wanted to be a better human, I had made some mistakes, and I had realized that I was gonna continue making mistakes if I didn’t make a change," said Baker.
The program is run by Greater Cincinnati Behavioral Health Services. While the focus is substance abuse, they also provide resources and help for mental health, jobs, medical needs and parenting help, to name a few.
"I think when we target those core, those core issues, I think it can make a big difference," said Sarah Baldridge, associate director of Greater Cincinnati Behavioral Health Services.
Baker spent 45 days in the CASC program inside the Clermont County Jail, not seeing his family or daughter, giving him the motivation to stay sober.
In May of 2025, he hit one year of sobriety.
"My daughter deserves more than an inmate," said Baker. "She deserves a more present father, and I think CASC had a lot to do with that."
And Baker isn’t the only success story. In 2024, 93% of men in the program completed it successfully, as did 89% of women in the program.
Of those who completed the program in 2023, 83% stayed out of jail for the following year.
"The actual lives of the individuals are the true success, and I get to see that every day, and hear it every day, they write me letters about it every day," said Bechmann.
