The Indiana Criminal Justice Institute and Substance Abuse Services Division welcomes Tonia Richards.

In January 2013, she accepted a position at ICJI as a Community Coalition Program Manager. Tonia earned a Bachelors degree from Indiana University, Masters degree in Psychology from Martin University, and Masters degree in School Counseling from Indiana Wesleyan. She is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, as well as a Licensed Clinical Addiction Counselor. Tonia has worked in substance abuse prevention and treatment for over ten years. She worked for seven years as a Project Director for SAMHSAs Drug Free Communities Program in Decatur County with her Local Coordinating Council. She was a Prevention Fellow in 2007 with the Division of Mental Health and Addiction and left to pursue a Therapist position at Centerstone of Indiana. She has worked for over six years as an Addiction and Mental Health Therapist. She continues to work PRN at Tara Treatment Center, Inc., where she provides therapy in the Outpatient and Transitional Residential Programs. Tonia is certified in several Evidence Based programs in both prevention and treatment of substance abuse. In 2007 she became a Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist Trainer, SAPST TOT. She is a graduate from the Community Anti Drug Coalition of America, CADCAs National Coalitions Institute. She has been a presenter at several state conferences and enjoys training and assisting others in the prevention and treatment of substance abuse. While we welcome Tonia to our division, we also announce the retirement of Mr. Shannon Buskirk, effective Thursday, January 17, 2013. Shannon has been with ICJI since 2008, and previously served as the Mayor of Martinsville and Chief of Police for the City of Martinsville. We will miss Shannon, but wish him well as he begins his well deserved retirement and thank him for his many years of public service. Tonia is working with Shannon to begin serving his LCCs. Please feel free to contact both of them for assistance. You may reach Tonia at TRichards@cji.in.gov or 317-234-7178.