Comanche Nation Healing To Wellness Court

With a population of 17,519 tribal members, Comanche Nation is a federally recognized tribe located in Comanche County, Oklahoma. With this funding, a Healing To Wellness Court will be established to provide court diversion, legal assistance, and counseling services which would benefit the Comanche Nation, both by helping individuals in their personal struggles with drugs and alcohol as well as improving community wellbeing in the Nation as a whole. To address three identified primary gaps: (1) a specialty diversion court dedicated to serving tribal members struggling with substance abuse, (2) therapeutic counseling and support services for defendants and their families, and (3) legal advice and consultation for defendants and their families, we describe in our Narrative a three-pronged approach to address the identified problems-one of which includes the development of a Healing To Wellness Court. HTWC will partner with tribal behavioral health stakeholders to provide therapeutic services and case management to HTWC clients and their families as they proceed through the program. Comanche cultural values make family reunification a high priority, and the alternatives available once a HTWC is established will allow offenders to remain in the community where they can continue to work, care for loved ones, and contribute to society.