Gila River Juvenile Drug Court Request for Case Management

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 Juvenile Drug Court (JDC) of the Gila River Indian Community is an alternative program that provides treatment, and judicial interaction, to juvenile offenders and at-risk youth who commit non-violent alcohol and/or drug related offenses. JDC utilizes a comprehensive team based approach with various components to address the complex and varied needs of youth and their families. Therefore, the duration of JDC may progress six (6) months or more, depending on the juvenile’s need, compliance and commitment to change.

The JDC therapeutic program consists of four levels: 1) Choice - Encourages and supports juvenile’s choice to work towards a drug free life and establish a foundation of abstinence; 2) Challenge - Challenges participants to confront underlying issues surrounding their addiction and its impact on their life; 3) Change - Promotes continued change within you towards self-sufficiency, while reconnecting with the community at large; and, 4) Maintenance - Focuses on graduating from the GRIC Juvenile Drug Court, promoting and maintaining long-term abstinence and becoming a responsible, productive member of the community. The four-level program aims to make the treatment process achievable, while youth recover, maintain sobriety and exercise independence. Recovery from substance abuse is a long process, and setting short-term goals can help a person feel less overwhelmed.

Youth offenders are more responsive to non-detention based programming which addresses substance abuse issues, such as JDC. The program has been very effective for first and second time offenders, but also serves repeat offenders and juvenile probationers. The Court supports and acknowledges youth triumphs and achievements through incentives. The Juvenile Drug Court is comprised of an advisory panel and a staffing team. Each member plays a vital role in delivering successful treatment for the well-being of each youth participant.

CA/NCF