Turning Points: A Comprehensive Tribal Court Alcohol and Substance Abuse Training Program

The National Indian Justice Center (NIJC) will implement the Tribal Justice Capacity Building Training and Technical Assistance Program (TTA). The goals are to: (1) provide a comprehensive array of training and technical assistance to assist tribal communities' ability to implement and enhance programs to reduce alcohol, substance abuse, and related crimes, and (2) strengthen the tribal communities' ability to implement and enhance tribal justice systems by increasing their knowledge of emerging technology, best practices, and new models of service. NIJC will align national training opportunities with at least two of the national Interdepartmental Tribal Justice, Safety, and Wellness sessions hosted by OJP. NIJC will focus on funding national training and technical assistance efforts within three categories: enhancing tribal and state collaborations; enhancing tribal justice services and systems; and enhancing the development of new and promising practices in Indian Country.

NIJC will implement the Turning Points: A Comprehensive Tribal Court Alcohol and Substance Abuse Training Program to improve tribal court intake systems and processes, to increase tribal courts' ability to understand participant risk and protective factors for substance abuse and violence, and to provide rehabilitative services to meet the health needs of participants. They will provide in-person training and onsite and web-based technical assistance. NIJC will offer mentoring opportunities to tribal justice systems to help them recognize signs and symptoms indicative of substance abuse issues and to adapt provided tools into intake forms and data management systems for local use. The project will enhance determination of whether or not substance abuse is a contributing factor in a case, how it contributes to an offender's criminal behavior and if Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is indicate. The project will also: provide tools for targeting interventions that reduce risk factors and enhance protective factors; identify existing diversion and treatment programs; provide FASD training, a bench guide, and strategies and practices for interagency cooperation when insufficient resources exist at the local level. Methods for evaluating program effectiveness for defendants who are diverted will also be provided.

CA/NCF