Choctaw Youth Healing To Wellness Court - YouthHTWC

Under the authority bestowed by 42 U.S.C. Section 3796ee-1, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) made under its Tribal Juvenile Accountability Discretionary Grants (Tribal JADG) Program to federally recognized tribal communities to develop and implement programs that hold AI/AN youth accountable for delinquent behavior and strengthen tribal juvenile justice systems. For the purposes of this program, 'juvenile' refers to youth ages 17 and younger. Federally recognized tribes may use program funds to address 1 or more of the 17 Tribal JADG Program's purpose areas.

The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians (MBCI) is a federally recognized, self-governing Native American Indian Tribe with 9,527 members. Of the total Tribal population, approximately 4,300 (45%) are children between the ages of 0 and 18. Almost all members live on or near the Tribe's Reservation in east-central Mississippi. The Reservation is 'dry', yet alcohol consumption and substance abuse is commonplace, and intoxication is one of the most prevalent juvenile offenses. The tribe will seek to serve juveniles ages 13-17 by targeting purpose area 8 (establishing drug court programs for juvenile offenders). The program will include 12 participants per year, with 36 participants in total.

The overall project goal is to further strengthen the existing Tribal Court by operating a sentencing diversion for youth alcohol and substance offenders. The supporting goals are as follows: (1) to reduce criminal activity that occurs as a result of substance and alcohol abuse by reducing youth offender recidivism, and ensuring that 75% of participants complete the program successfully, and (2) to promote healthy families by facilitating homes that are free of substance and alcohol abuse by providing support, instruction, and education. The program design includes, Drug Court Model, Group Therapy Matrix Model, AA (12-step meetings), Individual Counseling &Therapy, Family Involvement, and Outdoor Therapeutic Activities. CA/NCF