Karuk Juvenile Healing to Wellness Court

The Justice Department's grant-making components have created a streamlined approach for federally recognized Tribes, Tribal consortia, Alaska Native villages and corporations, as well as authorized tribal designees to apply for Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 funding opportunities. The Coordinated Tribal Assistance Solicitation (CTAS) serves as a single solicitation for existing tribal government-specific grant programs administered by the Office of Justice Programs (OJP), the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) and the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW). The CTAS solicitation is designed to assist tribes with addressing crime and public safety issues in a comprehensive manner. The CTAS grant-application process was inspired by and developed after consultation with tribal leaders, including sessions at the Justice Department's Tribal Nations Listening Session in 2009, and has been updated based on continued tribal consultations and listening sessions. The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) provides awards under CTAS Purpose Area 8--Juvenile Healing to Wellness Courts. The overall goal of this program is to enhance the capacity of tribal courts to respond to the alcohol-related issues of youth under the age of 21. This can include the development of a new juvenile healing to wellness court or enhancements to an existing tribal healing to wellness court.

The Karuk Tribe Juvenile Healing to Wellness Court will provide culturally appropriate alternatives and deterrents for Native American youth involved or in danger of becoming involved in the juvenile justice system. The goal of the project is to design and implement a comprehensive Juvenile Healing to Wellness Court that will provide 45 low risk juvenile offenders and re-entering offenders with culturally appropriate Juvenile Healing to Wellness Court services. The project will develop seven formal collaborative partnerships in accomplishing the aforementioned goal. This will be accomplished by implementing a well-rounded program that offers access to cultural connectivity, recreation, mentorship and educational opportunities. Youth will be thoroughly assessed to provide an individualized case plan that meets the needs of the individual.

CA/NCF