top of page

Tribal Healing to Wellness Court
Juvenile Healing to Wellness Court
2024 Implementation and Enhancement Trainings
Combined Agenda

Friday, September 20, 2024

7:30am – 8:15am

Morning Wellness

Room: Valley Overlook, 4th level

8:30am – 9:45am

Opening

Room: Phoenix Ballroom AB, 3rd level

  • Opening Remarks from Tribal Law and Policy Institute

  • Beading Exercise

  • Closing Remarks from Bureau of Justice Assistance and Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention

 

Plenary

Rekindling the Spirit: Inner Immersion as a Catalyst for Transformation in Tribal Justice (PowerPoint PDF)

Room: Phoenix Ballroom AB, 3rd level

  • Jose Hernandez, Co-Founder, Inner Immersion 

Plenary Description: This plenary will introduce Inner Immersion as a transformative approach for both Tribal Justice participants and staff members. The presenter will share through an abbreviated experiential, interactive demonstration how this innovative modality can reinvigorate the spirit of Tribal Justice, offering hope, renewed purpose, and practical tools for creating lasting change in Indigenous communities. This plenary will leave attendees feeling refreshed, inspired, and equipped with new tools to make a profound difference in the lives of the people they serve. By reconnecting with their own spiritual foundations and cultural wisdom, Tribal Justice staff can become even more effective catalysts for healing and transformation in their communities.

 

9:45am – 10:00am

Break (On your own – no federal funds used for food or beverage)

 

10:00am – 11:15am

1st Breakout – Sessions H

 

H1 - Adult Healing to Wellness Courts

Dare them to Dream: Recovery Capital (PowerPoint PDF)

Room: Phoenix Ballroom AB, 3rd level

  • Carolyn Hardin, Chief of Training and Research, AllRise

Session Description: It's important for individuals to be able to envision long-term recovery. In this session, attendees will learn how to encourage treatment court participants to dream about their future. They will also discover how to reimagine program phases so that as clients make progress, each phase helps them learn new skills to identify their strengths and build personal, social, and community recovery resources.

 

H2 - Role Specific to Healing to Wellness Courts

Team Approach to Incorporating Cultural Values Reinforcement into Healing to Wellness (PowerPoint PDF)

Room: Camelback, 2nd level

  • Hon. Renee Torres, Judge, Bernalillo County’s Metropolitan Court Urban Native American Healing to Wellness Program

  • Cayla Sanderson, Program Manager, Bernalillo County’s Metropolitan Court Urban Native American Healing to Wellness Program

  • Kevin Garcia, Lead Worker, Bernalillo County’s Metropolitan Court Urban Native American Healing to Wellness Program

  • Jered Lee, Program Coordinator, Traditional Wellness Program, First Nations Community Healthsource

Session Description: The Urban Native American Healing to Wellness Program is a DWI Adult Treatment Court that operates within the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court, which is a state court of limited jurisdiction. The program serves self-identified Native Americans with two and up to five DWI convictions in Albuquerque, NM, where there is a large urban Native American population. There are 23 tribes within the State of New Mexico and tribal members from across the country residing within the metropolitan area. Operating in an urban setting presents a unique opportunity to reach a varied population of Native participants. The Urban Native American Healing to Wellness Court strives to effectively implement innovative cultural values reinforcement through a unified team approach. The session will provide an overview of how each team member practices cultural competence and strives to uphold a cultural values reinforcement approach when interacting with participants. This session will provide an overview of how best practices are implemented through the unification of substance use treatment with community resources to achieve physical and spiritual healing.

 

H3 – Family/Veterans Healing to Wellness Courts

Treatment or Healing (PowerPoint PDF)

Room Location: Desert Sky, 3rd level

  • Ray Daw, Behavioral Health Consultant, Native Veteran Wellness

  • Sean Bear, Veteran Advocate, Native Veteran Wellness

Session Description: Native American cultural diversity has challenged behavioral health, wellness courts, and other providers with determining when a referral for treatment or healing services is most appropriate. Treatment involves practices founded on EuroAmerican psychological approaches and DSM-based.  Healing involves practices that are founded on Native spiritual approaches and can be tribally specific.  Most providers have the challenge of determining which practice can be most appropriate and effective. This session will offer comparison and contrast, with recommendations for assessment and placement.

 

H4 - Juvenile Healing to Wellness Courts

Juvenile Healing to Wellness (JHW) Programs - Serving Youth with Low Criminogenic Risk, but High Need (chronic absenteeism (“truancy”), child-in-need-of-services, and youth with “status offenses”) (PowerPoint PDF)

Room Location: Maryvale

  • Erin Thin Elk, Tribal Juvenile Healing to Wellness Court TA Specialist, Tribal Youth Resource Center, Tribal Law and Policy Institute

  • Pat Sekaquaptewa, Juvenile Healing to Wellness Court T/TA Manager, Tribal Law and Policy Institute

Session Description: This session will overview the various approaches of the JHW Programs. The presenters will discuss how JHW Programs are designed to serve Native/Tribal youth with low criminogenic risk, higher need, where there is youth substance use (or substance abuse in the home), and/or where there may be chronic school absenteeism. The presenters will also review the common approaches in working with low-risk youth, including targeted and intensive support systems, comprehensive and inclusive case management (e.g., Wraparound case management), school attendance programs (e.g., school review boards, Tribal and Community Truancy Boards, Elders Panels, etc.), and restorative practices. Finally, the presenters will introduce those chapters of the Model Indian Juvenile Code that contain more protective court process for use with Native/Tribe youth who may need services and/or are experiencing chronic absenteeism (truancy).

 

11:15am – 11:30am

Break (On your own – no federal funds used for food or beverage)

 

11:30am – 12:45pm

2nd Breakout – Sessions I

 

I1 - Adult Healing to Wellness Courts

Integrative Cultural Healing: Language Sensitivity and Trust in Wellness Programs (PowerPoint PDF)

Room Location: Camelback, 2nd level

  • Allen King, Consultant, Motivational Speaker

Session Description: This session aims to enhance the understanding and integration of cultural elements in healing practices, emphasizing the importance of language sensitivity and trust-building in wellness programs. By combining cultural integration with trust values, participants will learn how to create more inclusive and effective wellness programs that resonate with diverse communities.

 

I2 - Role Specific Healing to Wellness Courts

Spirituality and Healing (PowerPoint PDF)

Room Location: Desert Sky, 3rd level

  • Ray Daw, Behavioral Health Consultant, Native Veteran Wellness

  • Sean Bear, Veteran Advocate, Native Veteran Wellness

Session Description: This presentation will discuss spirituality and healing as it relates to Healing to Wellness Courts. Presenters will discuss the benefits of spirituality as a healing technique

 

I3 – Family/Veterans Healing to Wellness Courts

Many Ways Up the Mountain: Implementing a Multiple Track Healing to Wellness Court (PowerPoint PDF)

Room Location: Phoenix Ballroom AB, 3rd level

  • Gina Smith, Senior Program Manager, Community Justice, Training and Technical Assistance, Center for Justice Innovation

Session Description: As intensive interventions, Healing to Wellness Courts (HTWCs) are designed to work best with high-risk/high-need individuals with substance use disorders. However, many HTWCs grapple with the desire to provide supportive services or treatment for individuals who have a history of substance use but may fall under different risk and need categories. This presentation will discuss the science behind risk/need levels and identify justice system responses that are catered to the different risk and need levels. Presenters will provide examples of how HTWCs can create different tracks to respond to individuals of different risk/need levels in ways that can best support those individuals while lowering their overall future risk of recidivism. The presentation will provide case studies and invite the audience to create and identify appropriate tracks to cater appropriately to both the risk and need levels that are presented by participants

I4 - Juvenile Healing to Wellness Courts

Winnebago Juvenile Healing to Wellness Court and Cultural Integration (PowerPoint PDF)

Room Location: Maryvale, 2nd level

  • Curtis Alexander, Juvenile Healing to Wellness Court Coordinator, Youth Crisis Intervention Center, Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska

  • Charles Hindsely, Cultural Specialist, Youth Crisis Intervention Center, Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska

  • Sarah Snake, Wagijire Hiza, Youth Crisis Intervention Center, Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska

  • Daryl LaPoint, Director, Youth Crisis Intervention Center, Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska

Session Description: This session will provide an over of the Winnebago Juvenile Healing to Wellness Court and Cultural Integration. Participants will gain knowledge on the evaluation, assessment, and cultural assessments at the Winnebago Youth Crisis Intervention Center. The presenters will also discuss the function of the "Wagijire Hiza" Elders, including the incorporation of family, culture, traditions, and gender roles into programming and recommendations.

 

12:45pm – 1:30pm

Closing

Room Location: Phoenix Ballroom AB, 3rd level

  • Advocate of the Year Award and Alumni Award

  • Closing Prayer

  • Closing Remarks

bottom of page