2024 Tribal Healing to Wellness Court
Implementation and Enhancement Training
Reclaiming Indigenous Justice
September 18-20, 2024
Sheraton Phoenix Downtown
340 North 3rd Street Phoenix, AZ 85004
8:45am - 9:45am
Plenary
Location: Catalina / Madera/ Pasadena
Safety Considerations in Celebrating 25 Years of Tribal Healing to Wellness (PowerPoint) (Handout)
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Tanya Grassel-Krietlow, South Dakota Network FAST Grant Manager, FAST Tribal Sexual Assault Initiative
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Gayle Thom, Retired Federal Bureau of Investigation
Plenary Description: As we celebrate 25 years of Healing to Wellness, what is more central to enhancing the capacity of healing and wellness than the safety of Wellness Court professionals and other service providers? Planning for victims’ and survivors’ freedom from violence is a critical component for service providers. However, the safety of adults, juveniles, family, veterans, and DUI/DWI Healing to Wellness Court professionals is also a vital part of overall safety planning. Yet personal safety can be a complex matter. Training, research, and evaluation often focus solely on the safety of victims and survivors we are privileged to serve. Without addressing personal safety of all Tribal justice professional/other service providers, are we missing the true impact of striving to build a deeper and more comprehensively resilient perspective of safety for all involved in the justice realm? Simple steps will be presented that all court and service providers can use in their everyday lives. These are not meant to be all-encompassing—simply thought-provoking to help promote conversation and understanding of what additional training might be helpful. Our goal is to provide hope and inspiration by offering these simple steps attendees can use in their everyday lives. Informal and formal research is included in the presentation regarding safety considerations; as well as information from the Sexual Assault Forensic-Medical and Advocacy Services for the Tribes initiative that is funded by the Office on Violence Against Women.
E1 - Adult Healing to Wellness Court
Location: Catalina / Madera/ Pasadena
9:45am - 10:00am
Break (On your own. No government provided meals or break food or beverages.)
10:00am - 11:15am
1st Breakout - Sessions E
Opioid Responses for Courts in Tribal and Rural Areas (PowerPoint PDF)
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Melanie P. Fritzsche, Senior Program Manager, Tribal Justice Exchange, Center for Justice Innovation
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Alejandra Garcia, Associate Director, Treatment Courts Technical Assistance, Center for Justice Innovation
Session Description: Treatment courts across the country have been tasked with responding to the opioid crisis through rapidly linking participants at risk for overdose to evidence-based treatment, intensive case management, and frequent supervision. Though these approaches are being integrated in some state courts, Tribal justice systems face unique obstacles in addressing the opioid epidemic that have made responding to this crisis even more challenging. Additionally, Native Americans are disproportionately affected by high addiction and overdose rates, which creates greater urgency to develop Tribal-specific responses to this epidemic. Center for Justice Innovation staff will discuss how the opioid epidemic has impacted Tribal nations and will share examples of how Tribes are responding with culturally relevant opportunities and services to meet the needs of their communities. Additionally, center staff will discuss themes and lessons learned from opioid courts in New York that could be integrated in Healing to Wellness Courts to help address the opioid epidemic.
E2 - Juvenile/Family Healing to Wellness Courts
Location: Sierra
Trauma and Staff Wellness (PowerPoint PDF)
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Marilyn Zimmerman, Sr. Director of Policy and Programs, National Native Children’s Trauma Center
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Ethleen Iron Cloud Two-Dogs, Tribal Youth Training and Technical Assistance Manager, Tribal Youth Resource Center
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Stephanie Autumn, Director, Tribal Youth Resource Center (Moderator)
Session Description: Participants will look at how to practice staff wellness in a stressful work environment. This module will highlight the toll that working with traumatized youth can take on staff and the organization. It will help participants reduce their own stress and address challenging situations. This module will emphasize secondary traumatic stress, however, it will also incorporate conversation revolving around other stresses in the work environment.
E3 - Establishing Wellness Courts
Location: Mojave
So You Want to Start a Family Healing to Wellness Court? Where Do We Start? (PowerPoint PDF)
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Will Blakeley, Program Associate, Center for Children and Family Futures
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Ashay Shah, Senior Program Associate, Center Children and Family Futures
Session Description: Family Healing to Wellness Court (FHWC) is a promising model for improving outcomes for families affected by substance use disorder and in the child welfare system. The therapeutic model of FHWCs relies on cross-systems collaboration and family-centered, trauma-informed approaches to engage, support, and serve children, parents, and families affected by substance use. Implementing FHWCs provides juvenile and family court professionals with a unique opportunity to disrupt intergenerational cycles of multisystem involvement including the foster care-to-prison pipeline while improving outcomes and healing families affected by substance use.
This session is designed for Tribes interested in implementing a new or enhancing an existing FHWC. Attendees will learn about key planning and implementation considerations and resources to help communities begin improving outcomes for children and families.
E4 - Mentor Courts
Location: San Jacinto
Bridging the Gap between American Indian and Alaska Native Veterans Residing in “Legal Deserts” and Legal Service Providers in Other Locations (PowerPoint PDF)
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Andrea Seielstad,, National American Indian Court Judges Association, Consultant; Professor of Law and Director of Clinical Programs, University of Dayton, School of Law
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Regina Begay-Roanhorse, National American Indian Court Judges Association, Consultant; Court Administrator, Navajo Nation Judicial Branch Judicial Districts of Alamo, To’Hajiilee, Crownpoint and Pueblo Pintado
Session Description: American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) veterans and their families often reside in “legal deserts.” Legal deserts can be urban or rural geographical locations lacking in legal services fit to the specific needs of AI/AN veterans. Where legal services programs exist, they may be lacking in capacity for effective outreach, and few programs are situated to deliver legal services tailored to veteran-specific legal issues or culturally and trauma-informed representation that is effective for AI/AN veterans, their families, or their communities.
This session will present examples, case studies, and research about ways of connecting AI/AN veterans with appropriate legal services. The presentation will focus on “boots on the ground” means of conducting outreach and legal needs assessments, offer community legal education to veterans in the communities in which they live, and concentrate on models of legal services delivery that may utilize lawyers, law students, and veterans’ services organizations and advocates in remote and diverse locations and areas of legal expertise. Technology-enhanced methods of linking these legal services providers to veterans in rural locations will be specifically explored, along with methods of recruiting and training prospective legal providers, handling interjurisdictional and professional licensing issues, and addressing technical and administrative support needs for coordinating clinics and follow-up legal work.
Session participants will share concrete ideas and strategies toward the development and/or enhancement of effective linkages between AI/AN veterans and attorneys, law students, and veterans’ advocates who may be situated in other locations but in a position to provide information and assistance on legal issues identified as of high need to veterans.
11:15am - 11:30am
Break (On your own. No government provided meals or break food or beverages.)
11:30am - 12:45pm
2nd Breakout - Sessions F
F1 - Adult Healing to Wellness Court
Location: Catalina / Madera/ Pasadena
The Henu Community Wellness Court (PowerPoint PDF)
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Hon. Evelyn Dolchok, Chief Tribal Judge, Kenaitze Indian Tribe
Session Description: Henu Community Wellness Court is a joint-jurisdictional therapeutic court operated by the Kenaitze Indian Tribe and the State of Alaska Court system. The court serves adults who face legal trouble stemming from substance use (focusing on drug and alcohol offenders) including those in families with children in need of aid. The court aims to get to the root of substance use issues, offering participants resources to pursue sobriety rather than sending them directly to jail. This session will include dialogue about the joint Tribal and state court and what it takes for the participants to succeed.
F2 - Juvenile/Family Healing to Wellness Courts
Location: Sierra
Breaking Ground as a Juvenile Healing to Wellness Court Coordinator (PowerPoint PDF)
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Leah Hitcher, Juvenile Healing to Wellness Court Coordinator, Cherokee Nation
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Roxanne Burtt, Juvenile Healing to Wellness Court Coordinator, Tule River Tribe
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Julio De Los Santos, Juvenile Affairs Case Manager, Quapaw Nation
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Erin Thin Elk, Consultant, Tribal Law and Policy Institute (Moderator)
Session Description: Juvenile Healing to Wellness Court coordinators will discuss making the move to becoming staff for their Juvenile Healing to Wellness Court. Panelists will explain their backgrounds, the learning curve, and takeaways during their initial hire. Coordinators will also provide stories about how previous experience helped prepare them for the expectations of being a Juvenile Healing to Wellness Court coordinator. Finally, panelists will provide words of encouragement to attendees on persistence and the value of seeing youth grow in a Juvenile Healing to Wellness Court setting.
F3
Location: Mojave
BJA Feedback Session: Treatment Court Enrollment
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Carolyn Hardin, Chief of Training and Research, All Rise
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Laura Hunter, Research Associate, NPC Research
Session Description: All Rise and NPC Research are hosting Feedback Sessions with support from the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). In this session, participants will be asked to share their perspectives on enrollment concerns and challenges, strategies for increasing enrollment, enhancing the referral and entry process, and resources that would help boost enrollment. Results will be shared in a report that will identify major concerns and challenges, potential solutions, and promising practices, as well as shape future funding and training opportunities. Participants can be practitioners from any Adult Treatment Court type and from all disciplines (e.g., judges, coordinators, prosecutors, defense counsel, community supervision, law enforcement, and treatment providers, among other roles). We ask all participants to keep the discussions confidential. Any information you provide will not be presented in a way that could be identified with you.
F4- Mentor Courts
Location: San Jacinto
Using Anishinaabe Culture to Support Recovery Principles In Programming (PowerPoint PDF)
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Matthew Lesky, Attorney, Court Administrator, Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians Tribal Court
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Kevin Gassco, Male Cultural Resource Advisor, Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians Tribal Court
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Miigwaans Smith, Female Cultural Resource Advisor, Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians Tribal Court
Session Description: Utilizing culture as a basis of programming has become an increasingly prevalent movement among tribal healing to wellness courts. The use of culture is often discussed as the element that distinguishes tribal court programs from state court programs. How culture is incorporated and used however makes a difference on how effective it is in assisting clients in creating recovery capital. While culture has always been an element of the Waabshki-Miigwan program, how it is used and presented in programming has evolved over time. This presentation will discuss how changes in the approach to the incorporation of culture over time have led to better outcomes for clients and a growth in recovery capital outside of the program. The presentation will also discuss the importance of ensuring that the culture elements you are incorporating reflect the cultural and traditional practices of your community.
12:45pm - 2:15pm
Lunch (On your own. No government-provided meals or break food or beverages.)
2:15pm - 3:30pm
3rd Breakout - Sessions G
G1 - Adult Healing to Wellness Court
Location: Catalina / Madera/ Pasadena
Tribal Control of Alcohol—A Tool for Wellness (PowerPoint PDF)
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Juliet Lee, Senior Research Scientist, Study Director, Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation
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Rachell Tenorio, Research Associate, Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation
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Joseph Flies Away, CAB Member, Community and Nation Building Facilitator
Session Description: Tribal Courts consider many cases in which alcohol use is a factor. Many individuals appearing in Adult Wellness Courts may be referred to alcohol and other drug treatment. Compared to treatment, alcohol problem prevention saves both money and suffering. Alcohol control policies are a critical tool for prevention. The Healthy Tribal Nations project is working with Tribes across twelve states to understand and evaluate how these Tribes and states are using law to control alcohol and alcohol-related problems. In this session, project staff will present the range of alcohol policies; review the most effective policies for the prevention of alcohol problems, including alcohol-involved violence and intoxicated driving; and consider how Tribes have been applying alcohol policies for prevention. In breakout sessions, participants can consider ideas for developing policies for your Tribal Nations.
G2 - Juvenile/Family Healing to Wellness Courts
Location: Sierra
Wellness and Healing for Native Youth through Traditional Restorative Practices within Tribal Youth Peer Courts (PowerPoint PDF)
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Dwight K. Lomayesva, Coordinator, Intertribal Court of Southern California; Executive Director, America Indian Recruitment Programs
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Hon. Angela Medrano, Pro Tem Judge, Intertribal Court of Southern California
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Dianne Cisneros, Tribal Youth Court Coordinator, Intertribal Court of Southern California
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Nan Benally, Juvenile Healing to Wellness Court Training and Technical Assistance Specialist, Tribal Youth Resource Center, Tribal Law and Policy Institute (Moderator)
Session Description: Tribal Youth Court (TYC), is a division of the Intertribal Court of Southern California that serves San Diego County and Riverside County Tribes. TYC is a diversion-based project with a mission to provide at-risk Native youth opportunities for accountability, growth, and healing through wellness-based responses. Statistically, Native youth have the lowest graduation rates among all races. According to Kidsdata, Native youth have ranked disproportionately high within the categories of gang membership, drug and alcohol use, and contemplating suicide. All areas point to our Native youth having great social challenges and making misguided decisions that may result in harm and ultimately leads to a pathway toward the juvenile justice system. TYC created a model program that utilizes restorative justice ideals and community to work with Native juvenile offenders through a youth peer court. Including youth peers into our model led to the development of the Native Youth Peer Decision Makers training program that will engage our Peer Decision Makers to guide them in their intervention decisions within the Youth Court and provide them greater understanding on Tribal custom and traditions, as well as Tribal governance. Collaborating with our Tribes, regional universities, and native organizations, we are working together to bring wellness within our Tribal communities. Our ultimate goal is to bring Native youth back into our communities through wellness intervention within the Youth Peer Court. Native youth peers will hear and assist in the intervention of the juvenile participants. Tribal Youth Court staff share their stories, including the motivation for a Juvenile Court, planning efforts, struggles and challenges, strengths and accomplishments, and future plans for the program to ensure sustainability and growth.
G3 - Establishing Wellness Courts
Location: Mojave
BJA Feedback Session: BJA Grant Solicitation
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Carolyn Hardin, Chief of Training and Research, All Rise
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Laura Hunter, Research Associate, NPC Research
Session Description: All Rise and NPC Research are hosting Feedback Sessions with support from the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). In this session, participants will be asked to share barriers to applying for grants, resources needed to help with the application process, and how the solicitation process can be improved. Results will be shared in a report that will identify strengths to continue or expand, as well as challenges and concerns to focus on for potential improvements in the process. The results may also be used to shape future training opportunities. Participants can be practitioners from any Adult Treatment Court type and from all disciplines (e.g., judges, coordinators, prosecutors, defense counsel, community supervision, law enforcement, and treatment providers, among other roles). We ask all participants to keep the discussions confidential. Any information you provide will not be presented in a way that could be identified with you.
G4- Mentor Courts
Location: San Jacinto
Mentor Courts Roundtable
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Alyssa Harrold, Tribal Wellness Court Specialist, Tribal Law and Policy Institute (Moderator)
Session Description: A peer-to-peer learning opportunity to hear from the three founding Tribal mentor courts. Sharing their strategies for success, innovative strategies, and opportunities for growth.
Break (On your own. No government provided meals or break food or beverages.)
3:30pm - 3:45pm
3:45pm - 5:00pm
4th Breakout - Sessions H
H1 - Juvenile/Family Healing to Wellness Courts
Location: Catalina / Madera/ Pasadena
Cannabis and Tribal Courts: The Changing Landscape (PowerPoint PDF)
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Hon. Eric Mehnert, Chief Judge, Penobscot Nation Tribal Courts; American Bar Association Region 1 Judicial Outreach Liaison
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Hon. Mary Kate Huffman, Judge, Second District Court of Appeals, Dayton Ohio; American Bar Association National Judicial Fellow
Session Description: Despite remaining strictly prohibited as a Schedule I drug at the federal level, a cascading series of state legislative actions and voter initiatives in the past ten years has resulted in recreational cannabis legalization in almost half the states and the availability of cannabis for medical use in at least forty-one states. These changing dynamics are coming to Indian country as well. The transitions in the perceptions and status of cannabis in many jurisdictions results in significant impact on courts, including Healing to Wellness dockets. The faculty will discuss a variety of topics important to the judicial and court staff development of an in-depth understanding public and legal perspectives on cannabis use, the psychoactive effect of cannabis use on the brain and the body, the impact of cannabis use on the developing adolescent brain, cannabis use disorder, treatment modalities, and the impact of cannabis on court supervision, including the effect on federally funded courts.
H2 - Juvenile/Family Healing to Wellness Courts
Location: Sierra
Cultural Considerations in Tracking Qualitative Data (PowerPoint PDF)
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Erin Thin Elk, Consultant, Tribal Youth Resource Center, Tribal Law and Policy Institute
Session Description: Some years ago, a program located on an American Indian Reservation, received funding to assist children with mental health needs. The funding agency stipulated that the program participate in a specified data collection process. The company that was contracted to do the data collection part of the evaluation program did not have a clear understanding of the culture of the Tribal community. The evaluation and data collection was designed without the input of the Tribal programs which led to Tribal community members’ resistance in participation. While this example is fictitious, there are numerous accounts of Tribal communities being subject to inappropriate data tools without respect to the local culture and language. This session focuses on the importance of identifying cultural considerations in data collection. The facilitators will highlight the importance of cultural data collection strategies and the critical need to collaborate with Tribal communities to ensure their sovereignty is honored.
H3 - Establishing Wellness Courts
Location: Mojave
Negotiating Ethics Requirements on Healing to Wellness Court Teams (PowerPoint PDF)
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Suzanne Garcia, Tribal Legal and Child Welfare Specialist, Tribal Law and Policy Institute
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Kristina Pacheco, Tribal Wellness Specialist, Tribal Law and Policy Institute
Session Description: Tribal Healing to Wellness Courts require a team approach where information sharing and collaboration is critical to participants’ success. Each team member, however, has ethical obligations that they must navigate while they do this work. Presenters will set the context by discussing these various ethical obligations and then invite subject matter experts and attendees in the audience to join in a discussion about the successes and challenges they have seen in their practice.
H4- Mentor Courts
Location: San Jacinto
Problem Gambling (PowerPoint PDF)
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Sarah Sense-Wilson, Tulalip Tribes Problem Gambling Coordinator, Tulalip Behavioral Wellness Center
Session Description: TBD