Foundations in Community Wellness Courts

Guelph Wellness Court by ASSOCIATION OF JUSTICE AND TREATMENT PROFESSIONALS

JUSTICE AND TREATMENT PARTNERSHIP SERIES

PLENARY FIVE

What is a community to do when individuals with mental health and substance abuse are falling through the cracks and unable to access services? What if the services exist but are not being accessed? The Guelph Wellness Court provides an example of addressing this using existing resources.

This project has been an overwhelming success to date. In the 6 months since inception, a substantial number of clients are being seen through the court, with multiple service providers, using existing budgets, coming together to conduct intakes and assess and address the needs of individuals. Individuals are no longer (or no longer as often), falling through the cracks.

Yukon Community Wellness Court - The How, the Why and the Impacts

The Yukon Community Wellness Court (CWC) is an innovative therapeutic court . A multidisciplinary and coordinated team of professionals and community supports work with participants to develop a holistic and culturally relevant wellness plan. The plan is aimed at tackling the root causes of their criminal behavior. The objective is to reduce criminal recidivism and enhance the holistic rehabilitation of the individual.

The CWC is a collaborative justice and treatment partnership which aims to help build safer Yukon communities. An experienced judicial practitioner discusses the How, the Why and the Impacts of this innovative justice and treatment partnership.

The Honourable Judge Karen Ruddy

Territorial Court of the Yukon

Whitehorse, YK

Trauma-Informed Processes

This presentation focuses on what trauma is, how it affects us, why we should consider it in the courtroom, and what courtroom practices we can implement to help alleviate the ongoing effects of trauma. The prevalence of serious traumatic experiences among our neighbours and fellow community members is alarming, and its consequences can be severe, manifesting in stressful environments like courtrooms. Presenters in this section will walk through direct clinical experiences, personal experiences, and a case study to help illustrate the many sides of trauma. This presentation will conclude with suggestions on how court practitioners can better help case participants cope with trauma and on how to incorporate trauma-informed practices into the courtroom.

Lindsey Price Jackson, Senior Program Manager of Community Justice Initiatives, Centre for Justice Innovation, New York

Kathryn Ford

Director of Clinical Supervision and Child Witness Initiatives

Centre for Justice Innovation, New York