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2017 Training Materials

September 12-14, 2017
Albuquerque, NM

2017 Full Agenda PDF

2017 Speaker Biographies 

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​The Tribal Ten Key Components - National Drug Court Standards: The Best Practices

Hon. Carrie Garrow (Akwesasne Mohawk), Chief Judge, Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Court
Lauren van Schilfgaarde (Cochiti Pueblo), Tribal Law Specialist, Tribal Law and Policy Institute
 

The Tribal Key Components form the foundation of all tribal drug courts. The Adult Drug Court Standards represent the latest research-based best practices for what works within the drug court setting. This workshop will overview both the Tribal Healing to Wellness Court key components and the national drug court Standards, and discuss how they inter-relate. This workshop is designed to highlight the best practices of the Wellness Court model.

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Serving Pregnant Women Affected by Substance Use Disorders in Healing to Wellness Court
Marianna Corona, Senior Program Associate, Center for Children and Family Futures
Jennifer Foley, Senior Program Associate, Center for Children and Family Futures

Pregnant participants present with complicated needs to courts. This workshop will detail some of those needs and identify strategies that Wellness Courts can implement with community partners to better serve their pregnant participants.  The workshop will also discuss neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) and postpartum care.

Effective Practices for Law Enforcement Working with Tribal Youth - Trauma Informed Policing Virtual Simulation Training: Introduction of Avatar Based Training Simulation Model
Anna Rangel Clough (Muscogee Creek and Yuchi) Attorney, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Tribal Youth Training and Technical Assistance Center 
Sutton King (Menominee, and Oneida), Tribal Program Specialist and Research Coordinator, Kognito, LLC

Police/Parole/Probation officers are often called upon to serve in various roles and capacities within the Tribal Juvenile Healing to Wellness Court structure. This session will share a newly developed training and simulation module developed for Police by the OJJDP Tribal Youth Training and Technical Assistance Center and partner Kognito, LLC. The Trauma Informed Policing module is designed to provide education and skills to improve outcomes when law enforcement encounter youth exhibiting problematic behaviors and further support at risk youth in accessing resources. Police will be introduced to principles of trauma informed care and how to better serve tribal youth who are involved in the Juvenile Healing to Wellness Court.

Using Continuing Care and Recovery Support Services to Improve Drug Court Outcomes
Jeffrey N. Kushner, Montana Statewide Drug Court Coordinator, Montana Supreme Court/Office of the Court Administrator
 

The presentation will discuss alcohol and other drug dependence as a chronic care disease and how the response differs from an acute care model, which has been used by the treatment field for decades. The field requires an understanding for a new language (Recovery, Recovery Maintenance, Recovery Management, Recovery Capital, Recover Oriented Systems of Care). We will discuss the research on relapse and the variables that lead to long-term abstinence. We will then discuss how the New Adult Drug Court Standards begin to reflect this new paradigm. What are the specific standards and how drug courts can meet them. Lastly, we will discuss what Drug Courts can do before discharge, and after discharge to support this new paradigm and their drug court participants who have achieved abstinence above and beyond the standards.​

Planning the Wellness Court: Mapping the Policies and Procedures and Other Key Considerations
Lauren van Schilfgaarde (Cochiti Pueblo), Tribal Law Specialist, Tribal Law and Policy Institute
 

This presentation will overview key planning considerations for implementing a Healing to Wellness Court, including the adult, juvenile, and family models. The workshop will overview lessons learned in planning strategies, including key partners needed, timelines, and resources. The workshop will then track the program development process, outlining the policies and procedures manual development from program entry to discharge. This workshop is ideal for Wellness Courts that are in the planning or pre-planning phase of their Wellness Court, or are looking to update their Policies and Procedures manual.

Developing Your Tribal Laws to Support Your Healing to Wellness Court
Hon. Carrie Garrow (Akwesasne Mohawk), Chief Judge, Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Court

Healing to Wellness Courts are innovative, non-adversarial forums, intended to shift the focus from judicial punishment to judicial rehabilitation. But the root of the Wellness Court remains in its connection to the judiciary. Program sustainability depends on building the Wellness Court as an essential component of that judiciary. This workshop will detail institutional structures that can help secure the Wellness Court. In addition, this Wellness Court will explore the tribal code context in which the Wellness Court operates that can help motivate or disincentive participation. Tribal communities must balance public safety against the need for restorative justice.​

Building Stronger Families & Brighter Futures—The Unique Adaptations of the Family Drug Court and Family Tribal Healing to Wellness Courts to Better Serve Children, Families, and Communities
Marianna Corona, Senior Program Associate, Center for Children and Family Futures
Jennifer Foley, Senior Program Associate, Center for Children and Family Futures


The drug court movement led to numerous adaptations by jurisdictions and communities who wanted to take a problem-solving approach to better serve individuals and families affected by substance use disorders and other co-occurring issues. Child welfare and dependency court advocates developed the Family Drug Court (FDC) model to improve the poor recovery, safety, and permanency outcomes for families affected by parental substance use. For tribal communities, the development of Family Tribal Healing to Wellness courts integrated drug court principles with tribal values, laws, and resources. This workshop will discuss both movements, best practices, and strategies to improve collaboration between county and tribal communities. The presentation will highlight how tribal child welfare systems differ from State and County systems and how the family-centered approach of both models uniquely promote family recovery and stability. 

Surprising Resources for Your Healing to Wellness Court
Sean Bear (Meskwaki Tribal Nation), Senior Behavioral Health Consultant and Training Coordinator, National American Indian and Alaska Native Addiction Technology Transfer Center
Precious Benally (Diné), Senior Associate, Drug Court Programs and Tribal Justice Exchange, Center for Court Innovation\
Hon. Bruce C. Fox, Judge, Pueblo of Laguna Tribal Court
Jeffrey N. Kushner, Montana Statewide Drug Court Coordinator, Montana Supreme Court/Office of the Court Administrator
Lauren van Schilfgaarde (Cochiti Pueblo), Tribal Law Specialist, Tribal Law and Policy Institute 
 

There are some important resources that will help Healing to Wellness Courts improve their operations and outcomes. This session will feature a panel of individuals discussing (1) The Matrix Adapted for a Native American population: The Matrix was developed by the Matrix Institute and is the only National Institute on Drug Abuse approved curriculum for people with a substance use disorder. (2) The National American Indian and Alaskan Native Addiction Technology Transfer Center is one of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration funded Addiction Technology Transfer Center. This center provides specific training for individuals who counsel Native Americans and provides cultural competency training for others. (3) The Tribal Law and Policy Institute provides training and technical assistance services, including the Tribal Court Collaboration Program. (4) Elder Panels are a culturally-based solution to crime and delinquents behavior occurring in Indian country. Elder Panels reflects the desires expressed by many tribal nations to keep their people out of correctional facilities if they can safely be supervised in the community and is very consistent with the philosophy of Healing to Wellness Courts. ​

Indigenous Problem Solving for Healing to Wellness Courts
Hon. Lawrence King, Chief Judge, Colorado River Indian Tribes
Precious Benally (Diné), Senior Associate, Drug Court Programs and Tribal Justice Exchange, Center for Court Innovation
 

The presentation will cover the incorporation of the principles of the Red Hook Community Justice Center, the San Francisco Collaborative Courts, and the assessment of the needs of a Tribal Community to address its needs beyond just substance abuse, but employment, housing, education, life skills, traditions and culture to help community members find their path.​

Incentives and Sanctions
Mark Panasiewicz, Founder/Counselor, Hope Works Counseling
Description: This presentation outlines the basic behavior modification principles and their applicability in incentives, sanctions and therapeutic adjustments. It identifies the importance of incentives, both formal and informal, and their application in the program. The presentation recognizes the effect of immediate consequences in modifying client behavior, and identifies the distinctions between court-imposed sanctions and incentives and treatment responses. The presentation discusses the importance of formulating a strategy for the application of graduated sanctions and incentives and appropriate treatment responses, along the importance of the consistency in those responses.

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Relapse Prevention
Mark Panasiewicz, Founder/Counselor, Hope Works Counseling
 

The road towards sobriety often includes the potential for or actual relapse. Drug Court and Healing to Wellness Court’s structured supervision and accountability helps provide short-term consistency, but a participant can grow accustomed to the Drug Court/Wellness Court safety net. Too often, relapse has been viewed as failure, returning clients to the revolving criminal justice door. It is critical, therefore, that Drug Courts and Wellness Courts be able to identify relapse warning signs, and have strategies for both preventing and coping with relapse. This workshop with detail those warning signs, discuss common policies that have the potential to enable relapse, and discuss effective strategies for returning a participant to a good path.


Surveying Drug Treatment Courts – Results from a National Survey and Lessons Learned
Preeti Menon, Associate Director of Programs, Justice Programs Office at American University
 

BJA’s National Drug Court Resource Center is housed at the Justice Programs Office, a center at American University’s School of Public Affairs. The resource center provides treatment court practitioners access to a wide variety of resources for effective programing. For this workshop, we will explore the results of the 2017 Annual Drug Treatment Court Survey. Our analysis of the survey results will give attendees a brief snapshot of how courts currently operate, challenges to surveying drug treatment courts, and lessons learned as the Justice Programs Office moves forward.


Pueblo of Laguna Community Wellness Court: Looking 10 Years Back, Looking 10 Years Ahead
Hon. Bruce C. Fox, Judge, Pueblo of Laguna Tribal Court
Christine Sisneros, Wellness Court Coordinator, Pueblo of Laguna Tribal Court
Kristina Pacheco(Pueblo of Laguna), Program Manager, Pueblo of Laguna Behavioral Health Services
Thomasina Antonio, Adult Probation Officer, Pueblo of Laguna Tribal Court
 

This presentation will trace the development and enhancement of the Pueblo of Laguna Healing to Wellness Court over the last ten years, culminating in their designation as a peer mentor court. The team will highlight lessons learned and the many transitions they have endured. The team will then highlight their plans for the future, as they survey the next ten years for their now institutionalized restorative justice system. 


Healing to Wellness Courts Online Curriculum: A New Approach to Interdisciplinary Training
Precious Benally (Diné), Senior Associate, Drug Court Programs and Tribal Justice Exchange, Center for Court Innovation
Alejandra Garcia, Program Associate, Tribal Justice Exchange & Treatment Court Programs, Center for Court Innovation
 

Participants will learn about the new Healing to Wellness Courts Online Curriculum and learn how to best utilize the TreatmentCourtsOnline.org learning platform to train HTWC team members. The presenters will walk the participants through the key elements of the new site, while highlighting the new Healing to Wellness Court curriculum content, including video lessons, interviews with practitioners, virtual site visit, and research articles relevant to Healing to Wellness Courts. By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to navigate the new website, develop their own learning plans, and monitor their learning progress, all via the TreatmentCourtsOnline learning platform.


Cultural Integration of Custom and Tradition, Ho-Chunk Style
Hon. Mary Jo B. Hunter (Ho Chunk), Family Healing to Wellness Court Judge, Ho Chunk Nation
Shelley A. Wilkinson, Assistant Clerk of Court, Ho Chunk Nation
Robert Mann, Family Healing to Wellness Court Coordinator, Ho Chunk Nation
 

This workshop will feature an overview of the Ho-Chunk Nation Judiciary, including the status of the Nation as a “newer” tribe within the PL 280 jurisdiction of Wisconsin. The workshop will detail the Nation’s two drug courts: the Adult Healing to Wellness Court (HTW) and the Family Wellness Court (FWC). The team will detail how the Wellness Courts incorporates the Nation’s belief systems to support the participants and their families. There will be copies of forms used to assess cultural levels of their respective participants, and share plans for incorporating culture, language, and spirituality on an ongoing basis.


After Care
Kristina Pacheco (Pueblo of Laguna), Program Manager, Pueblo of Laguna Behavioral Health Services
 

Wellness Court immediately introduces accountability and support for participants who have struggled without either for most of their addiction. However, as the participant progresses through the program, many struggle with the progressively diminishing support. Graduation can often mark fears of relapse, with many fearing the sudden loss of immense support to which they have grown accustomed. This workshop will detail strategies for ensuring participants stay on a good road, build up a community of support outside of the Wellness Court, and have an after-care plan.


Federal-Tribal Collaboration: The Northern Cheyenne – U.S. District Court Joint Jurisdiction Wellness Court
Hon. Roni Rae Brady (Northern Cheyenne), Chief Judge, Northern Cheyenne Court
Janet Wolfname (Northern Cheyenne), Director of Public Health, Northern Cheyenne Public Health
 

Joint jurisdiction courts have been slowly building momentum across the country, particularly in the realm of drug courts/Healing to Wellness Courts. For the first time, a tribe and federal district have dared to implement this model to better serve tribal members convicted within the federal system. The Northern Cheyenne – U.S. District Court Joint Jurisdiction Wellness Court will detail their current planning efforts, how they currently envision the court, and their plans for the future.


Participants’ Rights
Hon. Carrie Garrow (Akwesasne Mohawk), Chief Judge, Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Court
Hon. Charlene Jackson (Diné), Owner/Managing Attorney, Jackson Law Firm
 

Protecting a participant’s due process rights is a foundational component of Healing to Wellness Courts. However, this process differs significantly from adversarial courts. Moreover, the due process rights within tribal court differs both mechanically and substantively from non-tribal courts. This workshop will overview key considerations for when and how a participant’s due process rights are affected, and steps the Wellness Court can take to ensure the participant’s rights are protected, especially when a defense counselor or advocate may not be present.


Vicarious Trauma 
Donna Humetewa Kaye (Hopi), Program Director, Nakwatsvewat Institute
Description: Wellness Court participants may have a history of trauma stemming from different sources.  Trauma is typically a result of victimization. However, caregivers, helpers, and service providers of Wellness Court participants can experience vicarious trauma. If not aware healers and helpers may experience vicarious trauma impacting their clients as well as themselves. This workshop will provide general information about what to consider when working with program participants as well as Wellness Court team members. The workshop will encourage discussion about what teams are doing to address this topic. 


Ethics in Healing to Wellness Court
Hon. Carrie Garrow (Akwesasne Mohawk), Chief Judge, Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Court
Hon. Charlene Jackson (Diné), Owner/Managing Attorney, Jackson Law Firm
Description: Tribal Healing to Wellness Court sheds much of the formality of adversarial proceedings. But Healing to Wellness Courts are not relieved of the same ethical boundaries and considerations. With collaboration among different agencies, frequent interactions with participants, and the increased potential for ex parte and confidential communications, Wellness Court practitioners must maneuver distinct and sometimes competing ethical considerations. This workshop will overview some of these ethical considerations ranging from the attorney to the treatment provider’s perspective. Topics will include confidentiality, relationships among team members and participants, and the inter-relationship of Wellness Court duties and distinct professional ethical obligations.


De-Escalation and Healthy Wellness Court Team
Kristina Pacheco (Pueblo of Laguna), Program Manager, Pueblo of Laguna Behavioral Health Services
Mark Panasiewicz, Founder/Counselor, Hope Works Counseling
Description: The nature of Healing to Wellness Court is coming together. But this often can entail conflict and strife. This workshop will focus on ensuring a sustainable and healthy Wellness Court by identifying markers of escalation and stress, and provide strategies for deescalating tense situations, and fostering long-term health and growth.

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