Social Workers

Met and corresponded with grantee 4 times between October 1, 2024-December 31, 2024 on the following dates:
10/21/24 - Email about BJA rural initiative
10/23/24 - Email about PTACC
11/12/24 - Email about RHAPSODI funding
12/3/24 - Email about JCOIN funding
Summary of Successes
Summary of Challenges
Summary of Resources Provided
BJA rural initiative information
JCOIN Rapid Innovation Grant (J-RIG) Program
Summary of Suggestions for further TA/next steps
Continue regularly scheduled TA engagement and coaching

Center Staff gave two back to back presentations at the Birmingham Municipal Court Summit, titled “PART 1: Planning a Justice System Program: Technical Assistance Best Practices to Achieve Your Goals” and “PART 2: Planning a Justice System Program: Operationalizing Technical Assistance Best Practices” at the Birmingham Municipal Court Conference.

Center staff attended the Washington State Association of Drug Court Professionals and Washington Association of Drug Courts Conference discussed how community courts work as problem solving courts and how practitioners can build issue focused programs that cater to specific community needs. I also gave practitioners some considerations on how to implement small changes to their current system.

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

Inspired by the recently released Guidance on Meaningful Community Engagement, this webinar highlighted key insights from the document. It focused on strategies for engaging with community-based organizations, enhancing language accessibility, and improving accessibility in data collection and evaluation. These topics were explored by a diverse panel of subject matter experts, including former SAAs, retired law enforcement chiefs, NCJA Data Center staff, and language access specialists.

The Nebraska Crime Commission, in collaboration with NCJA, conducted a statewide justice system needs assessment survey to evaluate the needs of their stakeholders, including new and prospective Byrne JAG recipients. Nebraska's unique geographic landscape enabled the survey to reach rural and tribal communities, aligning with their goal to strengthen engagement with these populations. The survey will serve as a critical component in shaping the state’s JAG strategic planning process.

Minnesota ERPO TTA Ongoing Meetings provide state-specific ERPO TTA support to facilitate the implementation and adoption of best practices. They bring together state and county-level agencies, including law enforcement, judges, attorneys, public health officials, and local non-profits. The focus is on violence prevention, domestic violence services, and legal support.

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.

The Skagit County Community Court Program has continued to enhance their Program and has created initiatives that foster personal growth and accountability for their participants. The site takes on a problem-solving approach to crime by holding participants accountable and addressing factors that impact the participant’s overall behavior to increase public safety. One initiative that stands out is the creation of a cell-phone program, which allows participants to rent cell phones to connect with family, friends, and the case management team.

In March, the Reno Municipal Community Court co-hosted a regional convening for community court practitioners which included guided tours of their spaces and programming. Since then, the court has made several significant updates to its operations to enhance its impact on the community. They hired two new case managers to support their growing caseload, which has increased substantially due to targeted enforcement actions by the Reno Police Department and Washoe County Sheriff’s Office.