Tribal Courts

Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria is a FY22 grantee. TTA for Trinidad continued this reporting period: sharing of cultural assessment tools included one from Blackfeet Nation and one from Thunderbird Partnership; and with Sister Court interest to be paired Mentor Court NM Urban Healing to Wellness Court, planning continued to arrange a virtual and in-person site visit. TTA will continue next reporting period.

Quinault Chief Judge Leona Colegrove submitted a General Inquiry Request for vicarious trauma training for her Healing to Wellness court staff. Chief Judge Colegrove specifically requested a training that was more comprehensive than a general "what is vicarious trauma" training. The general plan was to include how vicarious trauma shows up, what court staff can do to alleviate, how staff can support each other, how management/leadership can mitigate the effect on staff, etc.

TTA Coach list was submitted to Policy Advisor Trish Thackston on December 20, 2024; approved December 30, 2024.

TLPI's Civicore database continues to be utilized to track grantee outreach, TA requests and work, and training events. Wellness Court Specialists ensure that all contacts are recorded and Wellness Court Specialists Angie Juárez-Monger ensures complete date entry and reporting. This reporting period a new TA Workplan template began to be utilized and grantee TA workplans will be submitted to BJA next reporting period.

Community Justice TTA Staff collaborated with the Center’s Tribal Justice team at the 2024 Tribal Healing to Wellness Court Implementation and Enhancement Trainings to discuss how to create a multi-track system and the different risk-need levels in tribal communities, specifically how community justice principles can be incorporated into healing to wellness courts

A two-day virtual New Coordinator Training was provided by Wellness Court Specialist Kristina Pacheco on July 15 and 19, 2024 for the Chickasaw Nation (FY23 ATC Grantee).

TTA continued for Chickasaw Nation (FY23 ATC Grantee). A two-day virtual Coordinator Training on July 15 and 19, 2024 was provided by Wellness Court Specialist Kristina Pacheco. An onsite training for the entire THWC team was planned for January 2025 and will include Wellness Court Specialist Kristina Pacheco and Wellness Court Legal Specialist Jacob Metoxen.

Gila River received a new FY24 Adult Treatment Court award. The new grantee welcome letter was sent November 7, 2025. Adult Treatment Coordinator Rachel Hernandez replied on November 25th looking for a January 2025 date to meet with TLPI. Emails between November 25 and December 23rd continued to coordinate a date. The coordinator shared that she was appointed as a Gila River Children's Court Judge as of January 15, 2025 and the meeting on the new award would have to wait.

TTA Coaches, Skadden Fellow Grace Carson and Wellness Court Specialist Alyssa Harrold, continued communication with Penobscot Tribal Court Administrator, Rebecca Winter. Communication included:
1. Enhancement Training registration opening and sharing of link.
2. Follow up on Penobscot's plan to provide participants access to medication assisted treatment (MAT) in serving individuals with substance use disorders.

The Upper Sioux Community Tribal Healing to Wellness Court has been working to enhance their multitrack program by addressing the overall needs of the community. In September, the Upper Sioux team attended the mentor court site visit at the Spokane Community Court Program and connected with justice partners to exchange ideas and foster collaboration.The Center’s Community Justice and Tribal Justice technical assistance teams connected with the site in November of 2024 to discuss challenges and provide additional mentorship and support.