Enhancing the Healing to Wellness Court

BAY MILLS INDIAN COMMUNITY

PURPOSE AREA #3

 TRIBAL JUSTICE SYSTEMS PROGRAM

ABSTRACT
 

The Bay Mills Indian Community is a Federally Recognized Tribe located in Chippewa County, Michigan.  The Bay Mills Healing to Wellness Court is a specialized court under the Bay Mills Tribal Court Division.  It works as a component of the tribal justice system that incorporates and adapts the wellness concept to meet the specific substance abuse needs in the community.  Bay Mills Healing to Wellness Court focuses on non-violent participant's offenses with drug and/or alcohol-related crimes.  The concept of wellness court borrows from traditional problem-solving methods utilized since time immemorial.  It restores the participant to their rightful place as a contributing member of the tribal community.

The funding requested will support and enhance the Healing to Wellness Court, which provides an opportunity for participants to address alcohol and drug abuse and its effects on their lives.  This is done by establishing a structure and higher level of accountability for qualified cases through drug testing, treatment services, immediate sanctions and incentives, team-based case management, and community support.

The additional enhancement will occur via community, participant, and clinician technical surveys and questionnaires to help identify gaps within the program.  Recognizing these gaps are critical to developing a program that can keep up with the community's changing needs.  Staff members will also work to increase coordination of the program between the various departments of BMIC. 

The Healing to Wellness Court Coordinator will continue to be funded by this program at 75% and 25% from the current Tribal Court budget.  The Coordinator will continue to complete the planning, development, administration, and monitoring of the Bay Mills Healing to Wellness court.  Coordinate activities involving court officials, police health and human services, Bay Mills Community College, and other team members.

The Prevention Specialist will be responsible for developing, coordinating, and conducting substance abuse prevention and education services for the Healing to Wellness Court participants.  The Prevention Specialist will have added duties and help the Healing to Wellness court team decide which participants will be admitted into the program.

Funding will allow the Healing to Wellness Court to continue as the Bay Mills Indian Community identifies ways to make the program self-sustaining.