About Dawn's story

Chapter one of six: At 21, Dawn Nicole Smith has three kids she adores, a marriage that's deteriorating and a gut-wrenching addiction to painkillers. In March 2004, she entered Fayette County Drug Court for forging prescriptions. Since then, with her and the court's permission, reporter Mary Meehan and photographer David Stephenson have followed her struggle to stay clean.

Almost everyone knows someone touched by substance abuse. In Kentucky alone, 375,000 need treatment. Because of stagnant funding, only one in 12 will get help. Yet substance abuse causes more U.S. deaths -- 120,000 a year -- than any other disease. It is a factor in at least half the domestic violence, child abuse and property crimes committed. To cope, Kentucky has invested $56 million in drug courts, which will serve every county by year-end. Non-violent addicts receive intensive treatment and avoid prison if they stay off drugs. Considered the best solution to an intractable problem, drug court works for two of every five people in the program in Fayette County. Will Dawn be one of those? Or will she remain a prisoner to pills? Her success will depend on something a court can't order: hope.