JUVENILE HEALING TO WELLNESS COURT

The mission of the Youth Healing to Wellness Court is to provide equitable and culturally competent judicial services to all associated tribal youth, which in turn provides the opportunity for personal growth, education, effective care, community engagement, and social justice with the goal of reducing incidence of juvenile crime in the tribal communities participating in NCICS and to provide culturally competent services and to have juvenile cases heard in our Native tribal courts.

YOUTH JUDICIAL COUNCIL

The Youth Judicial Council is a formally establish advisory council to the NCICS Judicial Council. The council is made up of two representatives from each of the NCICS member tribes. The council was established to both develop the leadership skills of local youth, but to also give them a voice in how issues affect other local youth especially with regard to judicial services.

One of the long term objectives of the Youth Healing to Wellness Courts is to develop a Youth Peer Court which will be overseen by the Youth Judicial Council. Cases within the scope of the Juvenile Tribal Courts can be deferred to Youth Court where bodies of the youth’s peers who help develop case plans.

YOUTH CASE MANAGEMENT

The court currently has a youth substance abuse counselor, Diana Billy-Elliott who provides case management and advocacy services for youth in the NCICS member tribes. Diana works with youth who are currently within the judicial system or who are at risk of entering the system. She works with both the youth families to connect them with necessary services. The goal is to develop a wraparound system that supports youth and families in order for them to reach optimal levels of success.

Please contact Diana Billy-Elliott for more information.

GRANT INFORMATION

This program is funded by the US Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention