Tribal Courts

An updated list of consultants continues to be compiled, with recent additions of trauma and behavioral health specialists. BJA requested details will be added and the list will be submitted next reporting period.

Judge Diane Cabrera requested an onsite training for the Lower Elwha S'klallam Family Wellness Court (FY20 CTAS - Purpose Area 3 grantee). Wellness Court Specialist Kristina Pacheco provided the onsite training. Below is the agenda:

TLPI's Tribal Justice TTA Project includes Objective 3: Provide (and support) General Training on and off site, including Task 3.3: Conduct one national and/or one regional Enhancement Training annually. Each year the Tribal Law and Policy Institute offers a national Wellness Court Training. The 2024 Healing to Wellness Court Implementation and Enhancement Training, was held over the course of 3 days from September18th to September 20th, in Phoenix, Arizona. Each day consisted of plenary session(s) and 4 workshop tracks, for a total of 34 workshops and 2 BJA Feedback Sessions.

Judge Diane Cabrera requested TTA for the Lower Elwha S'klallam Tribe (FY20 CTAS - Purpose Area 3 grantee). Wellness Court Specialist Kristina Pacheco set up an initial meeting which resulted in a request for onsite TTA for training of new team members and THWC coordinator, particularly on the Tribal Key Components, team building, culture and language in court proceedings, and a new approach in blending with their Family Healing to Wellness Court. Onsite TTA was planned for June 5-6, 2024 by Wellness Court Specialist Kristina Pacheco.

TLPI hosted the Tribal Nations Gathering along with a Tribal Track for the Rise24 Conference. Wellness Court Specialists Kristina Pacheco and Alyssa Harrold, Tribal Legal Specialist Catherine Retana, Skadden Fellow Grace Carson, and TLPI Consultants Judge Korey Wahwassuck, Matthew Lesky, and Simone Ninham attended. The Tribal Track agenda included:
May 22, 2024 - Tribal Nations Gathering
May 23, 2024 - Restorative Justice In Motion: Practical Examples of Restorative Practices in THWC
Understanding Historical Trauma in Native Populations

Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria is a FY22 Adult Treatment Court Grantee. Trinidad Rancheria Court Administrator, Megan Yost, scheduled a time to meeting their new Wellness Court Case Manager, Angela Easterling. In this meet and greet meeting, a request for onsite TTA was made and planned for May 13-14, 2024. The onsite included Wellness Court Specialists Kristina Pacheco and Alyssa Harrold, Skadden Fellow Grace Carson, and Tribal Court Collaboration Specialist Chantel Cloud.
Day 1 agenda:
Opening Prayer, Welcome and Introductions

Chickasaw Nation (FY23 ATC Grantee) Specialty Services Director Regena Frye submitted a TTA request for assistance with the Chickasaw THWC Policy and Procedures manual. The Document Review Team -- Wellness Court Specialists Kristina Pacheco and Alyssa Harrold and Skadden Fellow Grace Carson -- completed the review. Shortly after, further assistance was provided for examples of THWC Coordinator interview questions and a Mentor Court's documents were shared as a sample, along with requested and provided feedback on the semi-annual grant report.

Saginaw Chippewa THWC Project Administrator Tracey Klich emailed TLPI requesting assistance on assessment and programming recommendations of free or low-cost criminogenic assessment, life skills program, and trauma program similar to Mending Broken Hearts. The foundation of their program is the Seven Grandfather Teachings and the goal is to immerse the principles throughout the THWC. Wellness Court Specialist Kristina Pacheco suggested Seeking Safety for life skills and trauma curriculums, along with the Change Company for workbooks.

The Tribal Law and Policy Institute (TLPI) and the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) offered a 45-minute question and answer session hosted by Wellness Court Specialists Angie Juárez-Monger and Alyssa Harrold to offer the opportunity for tribal treatment court programs preparing to submit a FY24 Adult Treatment Court Program grant application to have their questions answered by TLPI Wellness Court Specialists and BJA Policy Advisors.

The Tribal Law and Policy Institute (TLPI) and the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) offered a 75-minute webinar hosted by Wellness Court Specialists Angie Juárez-Monger and Alyssa Harrold to provide an overview of the FY24 Adult Treatment Court Program solicitation and the three possible application categories, solicitation goals, and proposal requirements. Application components, grant program requirements, tips and tricks of grant writing, and available resources were also reviewed.