The state's first drug court was launched in the Roanoke Valley in 1995 -- but budget cuts announced Thursday by Gov. Tim Kaine could cost the program dearly, leaving its future and the future of programs like it in doubt.

As judges who oversee the drug court awaited more information, state legislators from both parties vowed to do what they could to keep drug court programs alive.

Sherman Lea, director of the Western Regional Office of Community Corrections, said Thursday that because of a statewide elimination of day reporting programs which involve intense weekly supervision by probation officers, the department will no longer be able to provide any support for drug courts, which aim for rehabilitation, rather than punishment, for drug users.

The $495,000 cut to day reporting programs in the Virginia Department of Corrections will result in 27 layoffs statewide.

The department will rely on electronic monitoring to keep tabs on some offenders who now go to day reporting programs, but will be unable to provide the supervision necessary for drug offenders, Lea said.

Six officers who handled day reporting in the region have been displaced, and though they are being considered for rehire elsewhere within the corrections department, there are no guarantees, Lea said.

"If this stands and continues, it would be a huge cut to the local drug court," said Roanoke Circuit Court Judge Charlie Dorsey, who is chief judge of the 23rd Judicial Circuit, including Roanoke, Roanoke County and Salem. "It's obviously not good news."

Research still needs to be done to see if drug court can be restructured so it can continue, Dorsey said.

"We're certainly intending to try and keep it," he said.

About 170 people are being served in the Roanoke Valley's program, Dorsey said.

"The possible elimination of drug court seems to indicate that as a practical matter the state of Virginia is not going to be able to offer much in the way of drug rehabilitation for a period of time," said Roanoke Commonwealth's Attorney Donald Caldwell.

Both Dorsey and Caldwell acknowledged that given the budget shortfalls, the department had no choice in cutting costs. "They've done apparently what they feel needs to be done," the judge said.

Virginia Department of Corrections spokesman Larry Traylor said Friday that he did not yet have enough information to specifically discuss the effects of the budget cuts on drug courts statewide. "We are still in the process of determining how best to implement these reductions. Understand our goal is to meet these reductions without compromising public safety."

The DOC plans to implement the governor's cuts by Jan. 25, Traylor said.

Roanoke Valley lawmakers in both parties said Thursday that they will push to restore those funds in the upcoming General Assembly session.

Both House Majority Leader Morgan Griffith, R-Salem, and state Sen. John Edwards, D-Roanoke, said they have heard from people who were worried about the fate of the program.

Griffith said Friday that he will make an effort to save the Roanoke Valley's drug court program if the governor's cuts cause it to be eliminated.

"That being said, there are no easy decisions," he said. He did not criticize Kaine for the spending cut, citing the difficult budget situation confronting the governor.

Edwards said he would also push to make sure the program continues to be funded.

Staff writer Mike Sluss contributed to this report.