Tribal Healing to Wellness Court

The Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria seeks funding under Category 1 to plan and implement a pre-prosecution Tribal Healing to Wellness Court in rural and mountainous Humboldt County, California, that will focus on reintegrating participants into the culture of the Tribe to facilitate healing and reduce substance and alcohol use and criminal activities.  These are priorities identified in multiple needs assessments among Tribal members and administration. The Tribe seeks priority consideration under both 1(A) and 1(B) as discussed on pages 8 and 16-17, as well as its rural location and its tribal composition, for its request for $700,000 federal funds under this grant.    During the grant period, the Tribe will plan and implement the healing to wellness court, serving 20 Tribal members with a significant history of substance or alcohol abuse who were arrested and referred by the county District Attorney through a diversion program.  The program consists of five phases which include mandatory participation in at least one cultural activity in each phase.  Each participant will complete a service project for the community.  There is a peer mentor program which will allow participants in the fifth phase to serve as mentors to new participants. These activities, combined with others, address the ten Tribal Healing to Wellness Court key components, as discussed on pages 13-14.  The program requires a minimum of 21 months participation; an average of 24 months participation is expected with a maximum of 30 months participation.     The Tribal Court will partner with Tribal departments like Social Services and Victim Services, and local agencies to provide options to meet the participants’ needed treatment services, including medication assisted treatment. The Tribe does not have an active drug court program but has been building a strong Tribal Court foundation over the past two years to support the healing to wellness court program.  The Tribe has applied for a 2022 CTAS grant for complementary, non-duplicative funding for a healing to wellness court.