Implementing a Family-Centered, Behavior-Focused, Problem-Solving Approach in Family Treatment Courts

Launch Session Date/Time:
Sept. 8, 2021
1 - 2:30 p.m.

Session Description:
Today, model Family Treatment Courts (FTCs) treat the parent, child, and family unit as a whole — allowing families to break the cycle of substance use, child abuse, and neglect — while paving the way for healthy, stable home environments where children can thrive. When FTCs emerged in the mid-1990s they focused primarily on a parent’s recovery.  Over the past decade, however, many FTCs evolved to meet the individual needs of parents and children.  Still, services can feel disconnected from each another and often overlook the health of parent-child or family relationships. Leaders across the country are striving to advance the capacity of family treatment courts and their partner agencies to provide a comprehensive family-centered approach for children, parents, and families affected by parental substance use disorders in the child welfare system. Established FTCs have utilized cross-systems collaboration, leverage complementary initiatives in their community, and implement evidence-based practices to strengthen the parent-child relationship and improve parent, child, and family well-being.  Developing collaborative and comprehensive plans that include the family voice, all goals and activities from each system the family touches, and reflects family strengths, challenges, and needs is essential. This presentation will review the importance of focusing on family recovery and then dive into practical strategies to move to a family-centered, behavior-focused, problem-solving approach.

Learning objectives:

• Participants will learn the summarized research supporting how implementing a family-centered, behavior based, problem solving approach improves outcomes.
• Participants will be provided concrete examples on how FTCs can utilize collaborative case planning, pre-court staffing and FTC hearings to address the needs of the entire family.
• Participants will learn behavioral benchmark strategies to integrate and align participant progress with various case plan elements, including treatment, parenting time, and services for children.
• Participants will gain an understanding how to use collaborative efforts and policy-level activities to leverage complementary initiatives in your community that can strengthen a cross-systems, family-centered approach.

Approved Education Credits:

CLE - 1.50 general hours
CEUs (SW, Couns, RCH) - 1.5 hours

Speaker Bio(s):

Alexis Balkey
Deputy Program Director, Center for Children and Family Futures (CFF)

Ms. Balkey is a Deputy Program Director at Children and Family Futures, Inc. (CFF) and works with the National Family Drug Court (FDC) Training and Technical Assistance (TTA) Program.  Ms. Balkey provides mentoring and direct supervision to Program Associates and Program Specialists that are part of the FDC TTA Program. She assists with project management and reporting tasks to compile and synthesize information on the lessons, results and policy and practice innovations.  Additionally, she provides TTA to FDCs across the nation responding to over 1200 requests in less in a little over nine years. Ms. Balkey was a Change Leader for the statewide system improvement initiative enhancing system collaboration to improve outcomes for families within the child welfare system affected by substance use disorders.  Additionally, Ms. Balkey is a Change Leader for the Prevention and Family Recovery (PFR) initiative funded by the Duke Foundation Charitable Trust assisting jurisdictions to advance the capacity of their FDCs to provide more comprehensive family-centered care to children, parents and families affected by substance use disorders through integration and institutionalization of proven parenting services and developmental and therapeutic services for children.

Previous to her employment with CFF, Ms. Balkey was the Program Manager for Riverside County Family Preservation Court, located in Indio, CA where she successfully managed a Family Drug Court with multiple funding streams including the SAMHSA Children Affected by Methamphetamine (CAM) Federal grant.  Ms. Balkey is a certified addictive disorder counselor by the Breining Institute, College for the Advanced Study of Addictive Disorders with robust knowledge of alcohol and other drug treatment programs. Ms. Balkey received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from Temple University and a Masters of Public Administration from California State University, San Bernardino.

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A Fresh Start: Incorporating Expungement and Other Second-Chance Remedies into Specialized Docket Programs

Launch Session Date/Time:
Sept. 16, 2021
10 - 11:30 a.m.

Session Description:
One in three Americans have a criminal record. For one in six Ohioans, that record includes a misdemeanor or felony conviction. Due to negative stigma from background checks and over 1000 collateral sanctions in Ohio laws, criminal records create long-term barriers to jobs, professional licenses, housing, education, civic engagement, and other assets to successful community integration. Ohio offers multiple legal remedies to mitigate criminal records for safe, rehabilitated adults and juveniles. This includes expungement, record sealing, Certificates of Qualification for Employment (CQEs), and pardons. Eligibility for these "second-chance remedies" has expanded in recent years. Specialized dockets are uniquely positioned to incorporate information about these remedies into their program -- and can sometimes offer a fresh start to participants. After attending this presentation, audience members will understand: 1) how criminal records create re-entry barriers; 2) laws, eligibility, applications, and impacts related to different second-chance remedies; 3) different ways these remedial measures are, and can be, incorporated into specialized dockets. Information in this presentation is crucial not only for reentry courts but for drug-related, veterans, juvenile, human trafficking, and other specialized dockets.

Learning objectives:

• Participants will understand how criminal records and background checks create barriers to employment, housing, education, civic engagement, and more. effects of cannabis, THC, and CBD.
• Participants will understand new laws, eligibility-standards, applications, and impacts related to expungement, record sealing, Certificates of Qualification for Employment and pardons.
• Participants will understand how specialized dockets can successfully incorporate these remedial measures to give participants a fresh start.

Approved Education Credits:

CLE - 1.50 general hours

Speaker Bio(s):

Sasha Naiman, Esq.
Deputy Director, Ohio Justice & Policy Center (OJPC)

Sasha Naiman, Esq., is the Deputy Director of the Ohio Justice & Policy Center (OJPC), a nonprofit law firm whose mission is to create fair, intelligent, redemptive criminal justice systems. For over 8 years, Sasha has offered legal services for people with criminal records statewide, and she was previously OJPC's Second Chance Project Director. Sasha also launched OJPC’s initiative to help survivors of human trafficking expunge criminal records and fully reintegrate into society. Sasha has conducted hundreds of presentations statewide about overcoming criminal-records barriers, including educating employers about the benefits of “Second Chance” hiring. She is actively involved in OJPC’s policy reform efforts and has advocated for recent bills that expand eligibility for record sealing, expungement, and Certificates of Qualification for Employment. Sasha previously interned for the St. Louis Equal Housing Opportunities Council, the Washington University Juvenile Rights and Reentry Clinic, and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Access to Justice Initiative (in Washington, D.C). She currently serves on the Advisory Board for the Cincinnati Center for Employment Opportunities, Steering Committee for Beacon of Hope Business Alliance, and Legal Advisory Committee of Cincinnati Works, and she was on the Advisory Board for The Clean Slate Clearinghouse (a project funded by the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Department of Justice).

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Risk and Need: Implementing Multiple Tracks in Your Treatment Courts

Launch Session Date/Time:
Sept. 22, 2021
1 - 2:15 p.m.

Live Presentation – No recording will be available afterwards

Session Description:
Research has indicated that the treatment court model has the largest impact on high risk/high need participants. What about those at other risk and need levels? Does treatment court work for them? What happens to those defendants if they aren’t eligible for treatment court? The speakers for this session will describe the latest breaking research on the benefits of creating tracks in your treatment court. They will also cover why and how you should assess for risk and need and discuss in practical terms how they implemented different tracks in their own programs and the lessons learned in the process.

Learning objectives:

• Participants will understand risk and need and the importance of good assessments.
• Participants will gain awareness of the latest research on programs with multiple tracks and the benefits of separating participants at different risk and need levels.
• Participants will learn the key steps in creating multiple tracks in your treatment court.

Approved Education Credits:

CLE - 1.25 general hours
COB – 1.25 hours
CEUs (SW, Couns, RCH) - 1.25 hours

Speaker Bio(s):

Shannon Carey, Ph.D.
Co-President and Senior Research Associate, NPC Research

Dr. Shannon Carey, Co-President and Senior Research Associate at NPC Research, has worked in the areas of criminal justice and substance abuse treatment for 20 years, particularly in the area of drug courts and cost analyses. Altogether, she has been involved in performing process, outcome and/or cost evaluations in over 300 adult, juvenile, family, reentry, DWI and veterans drug courts across the U.S. including federal drug and reentry courts in Oregon and Virginia. Dr. Carey also provides consulting and training in treatment courts operating in Australia, Chile, New Zealand, and England. Dr. Carey was involved with developing and writing the NADCP Drug Court Best Practice Standards and has assisted several states in writing their state specific standards for all types of treatment courts. She also assisted in developing treatment court certification processes as well as a peer review process that has been launched in several states where treatment court teams visit and give feedback and support to each other on implementing research-based best practices.

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After the Conviction; Using Evidence Based Practices in Assessment, Sentencing, Supervision and Treatment to Reduce Recidivism of High Risk Impaired Drivers

Launch Session Date/Time:
Sept. 27, 2021
10 - 11:30 a.m.

Session Description:
In 2019, there were over a million drivers arrested for driving under the influence and over 10,000 people lost their lives as a result of alcohol related traffic fatalities.    While these cases make up a huge percentage of criminal court dockets, research has shown that a criminal conviction and incarceration alone does not change criminal behaviors or reduce the likelihood of new offenses from high risk drunk drivers. In fact, after jail or prison incarceration, the vast majority of high-risk impaired drivers return to their communities, and without appropriate intervention, are a significant risk to reoffend.

Through the expertise of a veteran DWI Court Judge, the Director of Traffic Safety for Responsibility.org  and the American Probation and Parole Association Probation Fellow, this interactive presentation will provide an overview and continuum of the most recent evidence based practices in addressing the challenges of assessing and supervising high risk impaired drivers after their conviction.  This includes the latest research on the use of assessment tools to determine risk and needs as well as behavioral characteristics of high risk drunk drivers.  Participants will learn best practices in community supervision strategies, available alcohol countermeasure technologies, issues surrounding poly-substance abuse, the use of DWI Courts, and alcohol treatment programming to help criminal justice and treatment professionals maximize their effectiveness in reducing risk to the community.

Learning objectives:

• Participants will identify three alcohol technology countermeasures and research-based practices that courts should be using to reduce the possibility of re-offense by high risk drunk drivers
• Participants will identify how the Impaired Driver Assessment can impact sentencing and community supervision strategies
• Participants will identify how DUI Courts can effectively reduce recidivism for high risk drunk drivers
• Participants will identify at least two research-based supervision strategies that are effective in the supervision of DWI offenders

Approved Education Credits:

CLE - 1.50 general hours
COB – 1.50 hours

Speaker Bio(s):

Judge Axel, Judge
District Court of Maryland

Since 1997, Judge Axel has served as a judge of the District Court of Maryland. In addition to his regular judicial duties, Judge Axel served for more than 6 years as the Judge-In-Charge of a Drug Treatment Court and DUI Court program and served as Co-Chair of Maryland’s Judicial Conference Committee on Problem Solving Courts. Currently, Judge Axel serves the District Court of Maryland as a Senior Judge and is the ABA/NHTSA National Judicial Fellow for traffic safety issues.

Judge Axel graduated from Syracuse University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration before attending law school at American University’s Washington College of Law. In 2016, Judge Axel received the American Bar Association Judicial Division Franklin N. Flaschner Award for judicial excellence, character and leadership.

James Eberspacher
Director, National Center for DWI Courts (NCDC)

James Eberspacher is the director of the National Center for DWI Courts (NCDC). NCDC is a division of the National Association of Drug Court Professionals (NADCP) providing training and technical assistance to DWI court professionals. Jim’s background in treatment court includes experience at the state and local levels. For seven years, he was the state treatment court coordinator for the State of Minnesota, providing oversight in forming treatment court policy and strategic planning, state standards, funding, assisting in research, and providing training and technical assistance to treatment court teams. Prior to his role at the state level, Jim served as the coordinator on three treatment court teams in rural Minnesota. As a probation officer, his experience providing community supervision and supervision within a juvenile institution led to his complete buy-in and involvement in the treatment court model. In his current position, Jim is responsible for NCDC's overall daily operations, training, curriculum development, outreach, and promoting the expansion of DWI courts. Overall, Jim has over two decades of combined experience in treatment courts, corrections, policy development, and training/technical assistance.

Mark Stodola
Probations Fellow, American Probation and Parole Association

Mark Stodola has served as American Probation and Parole Associations Probation Fellow for over six years. He brings over 30 years of experience working in the field of court management and adult probation in Arizona.  Mark has presented training on topics surrounding high risk drunk drivers at national, regional and state conferences throughout the country. Mark received his undergraduate degree in History from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and his Master’s Degree in Education from Northern Arizona University.

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Using Data to Identify JDTC Populations

Launch Session Date/Time:
Oct. 4, 2021
10 - 11:15 a.m.

Session Description:
Research has shown that programs that utilize data to engage in programmatic reviews and improvements experience stronger outcomes and greater cost-savings. Using data does not have to be overwhelming and can help Juvenile Drug Treatment Court (JTDC) teams answer important questions that can help to strengthen and sustain the program. This session will focus on the types of data collected in Ohio and how to use that data to identify populations that can be best served by the JDTC program.

Learning objectives:

• Participants will learn what type of data to collect to assist in defining or revising the target population the JTDC serves.
• Participants will learn who is appropriate for JTDCs.
• Participants will learn why this particular population is the “right fit” for the services JTDC can provide.
• Participants will learn how to build concrete and objective set of eligibility criteria for their JTDC when people are treated differently.

Approved Education Credits:

CLE - 1.25 general hours
CEUs (SW, Couns, RCH) - 1.25 hours

Speaker Bio(s):

Wendy Schiller, MPM
Senior Program Manager, National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges

Ms. Schiller is a Senior Program Manager for the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ). Ms. Schiller has worked for NCJFCJ for seventeen years, and as a Senior Program Manager, she facilitates onsite technical assistance, provides expert training at national and statewide conferences, and researches evidence-based practices for juvenile drug treatment court professionals across the nation. Ms. Schiller specializes in adult education and evidence-based curriculum development.

Ms. Schiller has co-authored technical assistance briefs that focus on relaying practical ways to implement evidence-based practice and make needed changes in juvenile drug courts, for example: Using Brief Interventions in the Juvenile Justice System and Individualizing Responses to Motivate Behavior Change in Youth: A Four-Pronged Approach. Ms. Schiller has presented, on a national level, on such topics as “Incentives and Sanctions in Your Juvenile Drug Court,” “Risk/Need Assessments and Case Planning,” and “Transition Planning for Juvenile Drug Court Teams.” Ms. Schiller received a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice from the University of Nevada and a Master of Arts in Public Management from Carnegie Mellon University.

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Systemic Racism and Its Effects on Treatment Courts

Launch Session Date/Time:
Oct. 7, 2021
1 - 2:15 p.m.

Live Presentation – No recording will be available afterwards

Session Description:
When people are treated differently based on a specific characteristic such as age, race or gender, their experiences of discrimination have physical, psychological, and social impacts on them and their communities. As our nation grapples with a hard look at our history of discrimination, Drug Treatment Courts (DTCs) can take an active role in the acknowledgement and healing of staff and participants. In this session you will learn some of the way’s discrimination is present in our communities, how it impacts individuals and what those impacts imply for our work in DTC.

Learning objectives:

• Participants will be able to recognize sources of discrimination in the community.
• Participants will be able to identify effects of discrimination on DTC participants and staff.
• Participants will be able to better address the effects of discrimination on individuals involved in DTC.

Approved Education Credits:

COB – 1.25 hours
CLE - 1.25 general hours
CEUs (SW, Couns, RCH) - 1.25 hours

Speaker Bio(s):

Anne Janku, Ph.D.
Research Associate Professor, University of Missouri

Anne Janku was originally trained as an agricultural economist and worked in the Sahel region of Africa on development projects which focused on how agricultural innovations impacted family well-being. After completing her Ph.D., she became a research professor at the University of Missouri and shifted her focus to people involved with the justice system, including drug courts.  Anne led the research unit at the Missouri Office of State Courts Administrator for over 11 years. She is currently back at the University of Missouri as a research associate professor in Social Work.

Anne has played a lead role in evaluations of Missouri adult drug courts and reentry courts. She  led major research projects on parental incarceration and its impact on children, racial disparities in the justice system, immigrant youth, and  crossover youth. She has numerous peer-reviewed publications including examinations of race and gender impacts in drug court. She has spoken at many national and international conferences.

Anne holds advanced degrees from the University of South Carolina, Purdue University, and University of Missouri. She also earned a certificate at the European Institute of International Studies.

In her free time, Anne makes most of her clothes and is a yoga teacher. She is married to Chris and has three adult children.

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Is Marijuana Medicine? What We Know, What We Don’t, and How Treatment Courts Can Respond

Launch Session Date/Time:
Oct. 14, 2021
10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Session Description:
States have passed laws that have created a jumble of approaches to marijuana, THC, and CBD ranging from decriminalization to medical uses to full legalization.  To make things more confusing, these contradict federal law regarding cannabis.  The result is that people receive mixed messages and remarkable claims about whether cannabis can be helpful in treating a wide variety of problems such as chronic pain, anxiety, insomnia, and PTSD.  The jumble of laws and advertisements create dilemmas for treatment courts, particularly whether and when to allow court participants to use cannabis and, if so, for what purposes.  This presentation will sort out what we know and what we don’t about cannabis, THC, and CBD from our current science.  It will also discuss how and why treatment courts can set limits on the use of cannabis and cannabinoids in their participants.

Learning objectives:

• Participants will be able to distinguish between the effects of cannabis, THC, and CBD.
• Participants will be able to discuss at least three reasons why it is difficult to know what people are ingesting when they use cannabis or cannabinoids.
• Participants will be able to identify at least two strategies treatment courts can take when dealing with court participants who wish to use or try to insist upon their rights regarding use of cannabis and cannabinoids for medical and psychological problems.

Approved Education Credits:

CLE - 2.00 general hours
CEUs (SW, Couns, RCH) - 2.00 hours

Speaker Bio(s):

Brian L. Meyer, Ph.D,, LCP
PTSD-Substance Abuse Specialist, H.H. McGuire Veterans Administration Medical Center

Brian Meyer is a Clinical Psychologist and the Psychology Program Manager for Community-Based Outpatient Clinics at the Central Virginia VA Health Care System and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Virginia Commonwealth University.   He obtained his A.B. from Harvard University in 1980 and his Ph.D. in clinical psychology with a specialization in adolescents and families from Duke University in 1990. Dr. Meyer has worked in the child welfare and the child and adult mental health fields as a clinician, administrator, teacher, policy maker, program developer, expert witness, researcher, consultant, and trainer.  He has been the Deputy Clinical Director of the New Mexico CYFD Protective Services Division; the Executive Director of the Albuquerque Child and Family Guidance Center; the Executive Director of the Virginia Treatment Center for Children; and the Interim Associate Chief of Mental Health Clinical Services, the Workplace Violence Prevention Coordinator, and the PTSD-SUD Specialist for over 11 years at the McGuire VA Medical Center.  In his current roles, Dr. Meyer oversees psychologists at five regional VA community clinics; provides evidence-based treatments for Veterans who have problems with PTSD, substance abuse, depression, TBI, and other co-occurring conditions; trains psychology trainees; and develops and conducts research on treatments for PTSD, substance abuse, and co-morbid conditions. Dr. Meyer is also a nationally in-demand speaker who has given over 300 presentations and trainings on a wide range of content areas including the treatment of trauma and co-morbid conditions, substance abuse, complex trauma, the effects of trauma and substance abuse on families, Veterans’ mental health, mindfulness meditation, secondary traumatization and self-care, and collaborative courts. He is also the co-author of Transcending Self Therapy:  Group Integrative Cognitive Behavioral Treatment Book for Facilitators (2019), a treatment manual for people with Substance Use Disorders, along with Dr. Jarrod Reisweber. He has been happily married to his wife Sharla for 32 years and has three adult children and one granddaughter, all of whom he adores.

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Drug Testing and MAT

Launch Session Date/Time:
Oct. 18, 2021
1 - 2:15 p.m.

Live Presentation – No recording will be available afterwards

Session Description:
Addiction to opioids (e.g., heroin, morphine, prescription pain relievers) has increased drug courts.  As a result, drug courts are including the use of MAT to assist these clients.  However, of the question arises, to what extent does the use of MAT drugs to promote recovery complicate the interpretation of drug testing results?

Learning objectives:

• Participants will learn how to use standard instrument-based screening immunoassays drug tests (in-lab or in-court) and that MAT drug do not cross-react to produce “false positive” results.
• Participants will recognize that when using onsite testing devices, the cross-reactivity toward MAT drugs is largely unstudied.
• Participants will learn that confirmation testing (GX, MS or LC/MS) resolves all cross-reactivity issues.

Approved Education Credits:

CLE - 1.25 general hours
CEUs (SW, Couns, RCH) - 1.25 hours

Speaker Bio(s):

Paul L. Cary, M.S.
Independent Forensic Toxicology Consultant

Paul L. Cary, M.S., is an independent forensic toxicology consultant.  He retired as director of the Toxicology Laboratory at University of Missouri in 2015.  For forty years, Mr. Cary was actively involved in the management of a nationally-recognized toxicology laboratory that performed drug testing for drug courts, hospitals, mental health facilities, attorneys, coroners and medical examiners, athletic programs, and public and private employers.  Mr. Cary authored numerous scientific publications and monographs, served on a variety of clinical and technical advisory committees, taught at the university, was involved in drug testing research, and serves as a consultant in toxicology-related matters.  Mr. Cary has also provided judicial education including lecturing at the National Judicial College on alcohol pharmacology, the use of expert testimony and on drug testing issues.  He has been certified as an expert and provided expert testimony in court (local, state and federal) and in labor arbitration.  He is a member of the Society of Forensic Toxicology.  Mr. Cary has been a resource to drug court teams throughout the nation and overseas and serves as visiting faculty for the National Association of Drug Court Professionals, the Center for Court Innovation, the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges and the National Drug Court Institute.

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Family Engagement

Launch Session Date/Time:
Oct. 20, 2021
10 - 11:15 a.m.

Session Description:
This session introduces practitioners to the importance of ensuring healthy development for JDTC participants by working collaboratively with families, schools and community providers in order to meet the diverse needs of youth within the Juvenile Drug Treatment Court (JDTC) program. This session will introduce the participant to relevant Guidelines on each topic (family, schools and communities). An exercise for engaging and strengthening outcomes for the families will be provided.

Learning objectives:

• Participants will learn the importance of and techniques for engaging families, including improving court involvement/attendance and treatment involvement.
• Participants will learn about the research related to family engagement and outcomes in JDTC programs.
• Participants will discuss policy development or changes necessary in order to strengthen family, school and community engagement.
• Participants will learn “take away” policy changes, programs or referrals to meet needs of youth and families.

Approved Education Credits:

CLE - 1.25 general hours
CEUs (SW, Couns, RCH) - 1/25 hours

Speaker Bio(s):

Bridgett E. Ortega, M.A., J.D., D.M.
Associate Dean of Career Services& Professional Development, Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School President and Founder, Building Better Bridges Consulting, LLC

Dr. Bridgett E. Ortega is the Associate Dean of Career Services and Professional Development at Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School and a Sr. organizational consultant and national trainer for the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, American University’s Justice Program Office, National Association of Drug Court Professionals, The National Judicial Institute on Domestic Violence, and states throughout the U.S. She is a lawyer, researcher and the Past President and Chair of the Board of Directors of the National Juvenile Defender Center in Washington, D.C.  She is currently the Equity and Inclusion Officer for the Georgia affiliate of the ACLU.

Dr. Ortega trains on subjects including but not limited to Compassionate Family Engagement, Compassionate Practice in Problem Solving Courts, Compassionate Communication, Using People-First Language to Reduce Stigma, Domestic Violence, Juvenile and Adult Drug Courts, Equity and Inclusion, Cultural Competency, Improving Outcomes for Children of the Incarcerated and all things Juvenile Justice.

Dr. Ortega has spent over 30 years advocating for criminal and juvenile justice reform. She is the recipient of the ABA Livingston Hall Juvenile Justice Award for outstanding advocacy in juvenile justice, the NAACP Freedom Fund Civil and Human Rights Award and in December of 2018 she was recognized by the National Juvenile Defender Center as a champion for juvenile justice for her work in defending youth rights.  She co-founded the Santa Clara County California Juvenile Drug Treatment Court with the Honorable Judge Thomas Edwards for which she received a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition for invaluable service to the community. Dr. Ortega is licensed to practice law in California and the Federal Courts, in addition she holds a Master of Arts degree, and a Doctorate Degree in Organizational Management and Leadership.  Her published research work is entitled, Compassionate Jurisprudence: As Praxis for Justice.

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Gender Responsive Programming in Treatment Courts

Launch Session Date/Time:
Oct. 25, 2021
1 - 2:15 p.m.

Live Presentation – No recording will be available afterwards

Session Description:
Different aspects of disparity continue to be a challenge as it relates to access, engagement, retention, service delivery and other areas in treatment courts.  Courts struggle to address the issue of disparities, and many don’t recognize they exist. The Adult Drug Court Best Practice Standards state that citizens who have “historically experienced sustained discrimination or reduced social opportunities because of their race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, sexual identity, physical or mental disability, religion, or socioeconomic status receive the same opportunities as others.” This session will specifically focus on gender issues and opportunities for Drug Courts to ensure equivalent access, retention, treatment, incentives and sanctions, dispositions, and provide team training on the necessary issues.

Learning objectives:

• Participants will learn the best practice standard on Historically Disadvantaged Groups.
• Participants will identify strategies to ensure equivalent treatment of all persons in Drug Court.

Approved Education Credits:

COB – 1.25 hours
CLE - 1.25 general hours
CEUs (SW, Couns, RCH) - 1.25 hours

Speaker Bio(s):

Erin Rodriguez
PTSD-Substance Abuse Specialist, H.H. McGuire Veterans Administration Medical Center

Erin Rodriguez has been active in the treatment courts for 13 years. She has served as a key team member on several treatment court teams; including Misdemeanor DUI and Drug Courts, Mental Health Court, Co-Occurring Treatment Court, Felony Impaired Driving Court, Family Recovery Court, and Felony Drug Court.

Erin has experience executing an array of programs for treatment court participants including; Criminal Thinking, Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Seeking Safety Trauma Group, Living in Balance, Trauma Therapy, EMDR, Equine Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling.

Erin served as Director of Court Services for Rimrock Foundation, Montana’s oldest and largest co-occurring treatment center for 12 years. She is currently working in Private Practice as the owner of Selah Clinical Services.

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Habilitation Empowerment Accountability Therapy (H.E.A.T.)

Launch Session Date/Time:
Nov. 1, 2021
1 - 2:15 p.m.

Live Presentation – No recording will be available afterwards

Session Description:
H.E.A.T. is a holistic, strength-based, trauma-informed model that emphasizes a positive and engaging approach to treatment. This intervention targets African American males aged 18-29 who have become involved in the criminal justice system. The holistic approach of H.E.A.T. focuses on treating the complete person by addressing spiritual, mental, emotional, physical, environmental, and experiential factors that influence one’s sense of self, behaviors, and choices. The curriculum seeks to build on resiliency while validating life experiences to help the client address and resolve emotional and psychological issues. H.E.A.T. is spreading nationwide and is the only culturally responsive intervention of its kind in the country. The presenters will discuss why this intervention is important and will also cover the research that shows it is a promising practice.

Learning objectives:

• Participants will be able to define Habilitation Empowerment Accountability Therapy (HEAT).
• Participants will be able to identify how to implement H.E.A.T. into treatment court programs.
• Participants will learn how H.E.A.T. methods target and provide successful results for African American males involved in the criminal justice system.

Approved Education Credits:

COB – 1.25 hours
CLE - 1.25 general hours
CEUs (SW, Couns, RCH) - 1.25 hours

Speaker Bio(s):

Darryl P. Turpin
Co-Principal, The Pinwheel Group

Darryl P. Turpin is currently a Co-Principal for a social justice firm, The Pinwheel Group. He is the principle investigator for clinical research with young black men in the criminal and juvenile justice system. Mr. Turpin serves as Chairperson on the PAL Coalition, a Drug Free Community (DFC) project in Louisville, Kentucky’s 7th Street corridor, focusing on reducing substance abuse among youth. Formally he was the Coordinator for the City of Louisville, Kentucky, Department of Public Health and Wellness, Men’s Health initiative. His work included oversight of the African American Male Empowerment Network. He is the immediate past chair of the Thurgood Marshall Action Coalition (TMAC), addressing inequities in the criminal justice system across the country. His prior work experience has been as Senior Technical Associate with The MayaTech Corporation located in Silver Spring, Maryland. He was the Branch Manager of Program Development for the Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice. He provided oversight to various programs across the state of Kentucky, including the coordination of Prevention Councils, Mentoring Programs, Faith-Based Initiatives and Disproportionate Minority Confinement. Mr. Turpin was also the Director of the Drug Court Programs Office in Louisville, Kentucky where he provided oversight to adult drug courts, reentry and the Second Chance program. He also developed and coordinated the juvenile drug court, family drug court and the Turning it Around Fatherhood Program. As a Consultant, Mr. Turpin has worked with the Native American Alliance Foundation and provided technical assistance to Tribal Nations across the United States. Mr. Turpin also serves as faculty member for the National Association of Drug Court Professionals and the National Drug Court Institute, faculty member for the National Council for Juvenile and Family Court Judges, the Kentucky School of Alcohol and Drug Studies, National Black Addictions Institute and the Treating People of Color Conference. He serves as consultant to American University, National Treatment Alternatives to Street Crimes (TASC), Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT), Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP), and the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). Mr. Turpin holds a bachelor’s degree in social work as well as a master’s degree in public administration from Kentucky State University.

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How to Build and Sustain a Successful Mentor Program

Launch Session Date/Time:
Nov. 5, 2021
10 - 11:30 a.m.

Session Description:
Whether in planning stages or an experienced Veterans Treatment Court (VTC), this session is applicable to all programs as mentor programs need ongoing ‘refreshers’ to survive. Properly screening applicants and training and supporting selected volunteer veteran mentors is key to ensuring appropriate role models for your participants. Providing in-house, court-specific training and ongoing education is essential to maintain policy, procedure and success. Connecting with community partners and existing court resources is an ongoing effort that can ease the process. Specific and interactive examples and templates will be provided to help you build, maintain and sustain community support and financial success for your VTC mentor program.

Learning objectives:

• Participants will learn how to build or re-fresh your VTC mentor program at any stage
• Participants will learn how to plan and implement in-house mentor training and on-going education for your mentors
• Participants will learn effective ways to sustain the number of mentors and financial security for your mentor program for long-term success.

Approved Education Credits:

CLE - 1.50 general hours

Speaker Bio(s):

Judge Taryn Heath, Judge
Stark County Common Pleas General Division

Judge Taryn Heath has served the Stark County Court of Common Pleas since 2007 and as Presiding Judge of Honor Court (a Veterans Treatment Court) since 2011 and the Stark County HOPE Program (mental health track) since 2007. Judge Heath obtained her juris doctor from The University of Akron School of Law and Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration from Miami University. In addition to managing a private practice for 25 years, she served as a Magistrate for Canton Municipal Court for 13 years, served as a prosecutor for the City of Alliance and as an Assistant Ohio Attorney General. Judge Heath was selected as a national speaker for Justice for Vets in 2017 and 2018 and is a frequent lecturer on ethics, professionalism, and veteran issues for the Ohio Judicial College, Ohio Common Pleas Judges’ Association, Ohio State Bar Association, and the Ohio Association of Magistrates Conferences. Judge Heath is the former Chair of the Ohio Attorney General’s Task Force on Criminal Justice and Mental Illness Subcommittee on Veterans Treatment Courts and Military Affairs and now serves as Co-Chair of the Ohio Judicial Conference Specialized Dockets Committee.

Lisa Williams
Program Director, Stark County Common Pleas General Division Veterans Treatment Court

Lisa Williams has served as the Program Director for Stark County Honor Court since 2011 helping justice-involved veterans reclaim their Honor, Dignity and Lives. Lisa received her Bachelor of Arts in Applied Communication from Kent State University and has worked in the court system for 13 years. As director of the first felony-level veterans treatment court in Ohio, Lisa advocates for and frequently mentors other area veterans treatment courts in building and maintaining success. She has also served as a national speaker for NADCP’s Justice for Vets and also for state conferences for the Ohio State Bar Association, the Ohio Attorney General’s Office and the Ohio Supreme Court. Lisa serves as Co-Chair of the Stark County Bar Association’s Military Affairs Committee and also serves as a member of: The Ohio Attorney General’s Subcommittee on Veterans Treatment Courts and Military Affairs, Stark County Veterans Task Force, VFW Post 1036 Auxiliary, and Women’s Impact, Inc. She is also a frequent volunteer for the Serving Area Military (SAM) Center and Rebuilding Together Northeast Ohio.

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Goldilocks and the Different Levels of Care: Using the ASAM Criteria to Find the One that’s Just Right!

Launch Session Date/Time:
Nov. 9, 2021
10 - 11:30 a.m.

Session Description:
Identifying what is the most appropriate Level of Care for clients with Substance Use Disorders is a critical decision made on a daily basis by treatment professionals. This presentation will review the challenges facing treatment providers for identifying the Level of Care appropriate for each client and the process for using the ASAM Criteria to make this choice effectively. The history of the development and refinement of the criteria used to determine admission/continued care/discharge for clients in addiction treatment and how they can be used efficiently and effectively will be reviewed.

Learning objectives:

• Participants will be able to describe the general Levels of Care associated with the ASAM Criteria.
• Participants will be able to articulate the criteria and decision-making process used to determine admission/continued care/discharge for clients in addiction treatment.
• Participants will be able to describe the continuum of recovery-oriented addiction services and the changes expected in clients across the continuum.
• Participants will be able to identify how the ASAM Criteria can be used effectively in a process of ongoing evaluation.

Education Credits to be Applied for:

CEU – (SW, Couns, RCH)

Approved Education Credits:

COB – 1.50 hours
CLE - 1.50 general hours

Speaker Bio(s):
Bradford Price, Ph.D.
Therapist, iCompass Recovery Center
Fully Affiliated Associate Professor, the Methodist Theological School in Ohio

In the mid-1980s Dr. Bradford Price was a member of the task force that developed the Cleveland Criteria, the first set of clinical criteria developed by treatment practitioners to determine the appropriate Level of Care for persons with Substance Use Disorders.  The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) asked to use the Cleveland Criteria as a foundation for their work in developing criteria for clinical decision-making. Currently he is a therapist at iCompass Recovery Center in Ravenna, Ohio, a Fully Affiliated Associate Professor at the Methodist Theological School in Ohio, was a member of the Portage County Drug Court team and a private practitioner at the Copley Counseling Centre in Poland, Ohio.  Brad's career spans over 35 years, serving inpatient treatment centers, psychiatric hospitals, outpatient agencies, the County Jail and Community Based Correctional Facilities and school systems. Over the years he served as a clinical director, program director, coordinator of pastoral care and counselor.  He consulted with programs in seven states and two provinces of Canada regarding program development and staff training. As a recovering addict and codependent he brings a significant personal as well as professional perspective to his work.

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The Intersection of CBD and Therapeutic Courts

Launch Session Date/Time:
Nov. 15, 2021
1 - 2:15 p.m.

Live Presentation – No recording will be available afterwards

Session Description:
Cannabidiol (CBD) is a chemical in the cannabis sativa plant (marijuana) and is also present in hemp.  The passage of the 2018 Farm Bill made it legal to sell hemp and hemp products in the U.S.  As a result, CBD is readily available to treatment court participants.  This session is designed to review how CBD impacts the services of treatment courts – particularly abstinence monitoring.  Guidance for drug testing related to CBD use will be provided.

Learning objectives:

• Participants will learn how CBD became legal and readily available to treatment court clients.
• Participants will understand the relationship of CBD and the provision of treatment court services.
• Participants will be able to identify the steps necessary to maintain an accurate and reliable abstinence monitoring program in an environment where CBD is legal and available.

Approved Education Credits:

CLE - 1.25 general hours
CEUs (SW, Couns, RCH) - 1.25 hours

Speaker Bio(s):

Paul L. Cary, M.S.
Independent Forensic Toxicology Consultant

Paul L. Cary, M.S., is an independent forensic toxicology consultant.  He retired as director of the Toxicology Laboratory at University of Missouri in 2015.  For forty years, Mr. Cary was actively involved in the management of a nationally-recognized toxicology laboratory that performed drug testing for drug courts, hospitals, mental health facilities, attorneys, coroners and medical examiners, athletic programs, and public and private employers.  Mr. Cary authored numerous scientific publications and monographs, served on a variety of clinical and technical advisory committees, taught at the university, was involved in drug testing research, and serves as a consultant in toxicology-related matters.  Mr. Cary has also provided judicial education including lecturing at the National Judicial College on alcohol pharmacology, the use of expert testimony and on drug testing issues.  He has been certified as an expert and provided expert testimony in court (local, state and federal) and in labor arbitration.  He is a member of the Society of Forensic Toxicology.  Mr. Cary has been a resource to drug court teams throughout the nation and overseas and serves as visiting faculty for the National Association of Drug Court Professionals, the Center for Court Innovation, the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges and the National Drug Court Institute.

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Improving Engagement in Treatment

Launch Session Date/Time:
Nov. 29, 2021
1 - 2:15 p.m.

Live Presentation – No recording will be available afterwards

Session Description:
This session will look at how to address the lack of engagement or resistance to treatment.

Learning objectives:

• Participants will learn to look at treatment resistance through lenses of opportunity.
• Participants will learn to understand the value in creating treatment alliance to reduce resistance.
• Participants will learn to understand the importance of motivation and how motivation looks different for people.

Approved Education Credits:

COB – 1.25 hours
CLE - 1.25 general hours
CEUs (SW, Couns, RCH) - 1.25 hours

Speaker Bio(s):

Julie Seitz, LGSW, LADC
Project Director, National Center for DWI Courts (NCDC)

Julie Seitz, LGSW, LADC, is a project director for the National Center for DWI Courts (NCDC), a division of the National Association of Drug Court Professionals (NADCP). She joined NCDC in 2018, bringing with her 20 years of experience working in the clinical sector. Previously, she was the clinical director of the Center for Alcohol and Drug Treatment in Duluth, Minnesota. Additionally, she spent 10 years as a treatment provider for the Minnesota Sixth Judicial District DWI and mental health courts. She has spent the last 20 years of her career giving clients a voice. In her work with clients, she has focused her clinical practice on feedback-informed research and outcome-driven practice. Ms. Seitz has trained at the local, national, and international levels on feedback-informed treatment, drug court best practices, and the science of addiction.

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Turning the Tide: Preventing Vicarious Trauma

Launch Session Date/Time:
Dec. 9, 2021
10 - 11:30 a.m.

Session Description:
Having a prevention plan for compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma is the cornerstone of trauma-informed practices. The effects of vicarious trauma often go unrecognized. Vicarious trauma is a predictable and preventable occupational hazard when we are exposed to the suffering of others through our profession.  When unaddressed, vicarious trauma can affect our work, relationships and health, leading to systemic dysfunction in an organization.  Participants will learn how to identify the warning signs of vicarious trauma at the personal and organizational level.  Best practices to prevent vicarious trauma will be highlighted.  iRest (Integrative Restoration), an evidence-based practice that combines guided meditation and relaxation techniques, will be woven throughout the workshop.  The iRest protocol, developed and evaluated by the U.S. military, provides simple tools that can be integrated into daily life.

Learning objectives:

• Participants will be able to define vicarious trauma.
• Participants will be able to list three warning signs of vicarious trauma for an individual and three warning signs at the organizational level.
• Participants will be able to identify two resources that would be useful in addressing compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma in your organization.
• Participants will be able to describe how you can use the iRest Inner Resource practice in daily life.

Approved Education Credits:

COB – 1.50 hours
CEUs (SW, Couns, RCH) - 1.50 hours
CLE - 1.50 general hours

Speaker Bio(s):

Linda Chamberlain, Ph.D.
Consultant, Keynote Speaker and Trainer

Scientist, author, professor and founder of the Alaska Family Violence Prevention Project, Dr. Linda Chamberlain has worked in the field of brain development, stress and trauma for over two decades.  Known for her abilities to translate science into practical strategies with diverse audiences, she is an internationally recognized keynote speaker who conveys a message of hope and empowerment.  Her current focus is on brain-mind-body practices to address how stress is stored in our bodies and the instinctive capacity of the brain-body to heal.  A trainer with Capacitar, an international network for transforming trauma, she shares a wide range of practices that use breathwork, mindfulness, movement, and poly-vagal-informed strategies to promote resilience, self-regulation and healing.  Dr. Chamberlain earned public health degrees from Yale School of Medicine and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.  Recognition for her work includes a Scientist Scholar with the Fulbright Arctic Initiative, a National Kellogg Leadership Fellowship, an Alaska Women of Achievement Award and the Inaugural Scattergood Foundation Scholar on Child Behavioral Health.

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Mindfulness Meditation: A Treatment for Many Ills

Launch Session Date/Time:
Dec. 14, 2021
10 - 11:30 a.m.

Session Description:
Mindfulness and mindfulness meditation have been practiced for thousands of years, but it is only in the past 25 years that is has been used as a treatment for psychological problems.  Since then, its use and practice have grown geometrically in the field of psychotherapy.  Some therapists integrate mindfulness practices into their treatment.  Mindfulness is a central principle of such evidence-based psychotherapies such as Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy.  It is also used as a psychotherapeutic treatment on its own, such as in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction.  This presentation will review what is known about mindfulness as a psychotherapeutic treatment, including what problems it treats effectively.  Because mindfulness is, at its core, an experiential treatment, participants will take part in mindfulness exercises to help them understand the benefits of mindfulness and mindfulness meditation.

Learning objectives:

• Participants will be able to identify three psychological problems for which mindfulness is an effective treatment.
• Participants will be able to identify and conduct at least two mindfulness exercises to use with their clients.
• Participants will be able to select written and electronic resources they can use to further their knowledge of mindfulness.

Approved Education Credits:

CEUs (SW, Couns) - 1.50 hours

No CLE credits have been approved for this webinar.

Speaker Bio(s):

Brian L. Meyer, Ph.D., LCP
PTSD-Substance Abuse Specialist, H.H. McGuire Veterans Administration Medical Center

Brian L. Meyer, Ph.D., LCP, is a Clinical Psychologist and the Psychology Program Manager for Community-Based Outpatient Clinics at the Central Virginia VA Health Care System and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Virginia Commonwealth University.   He obtained his A.B. from Harvard University in 1980 and his Ph.D. in clinical psychology with a specialization in adolescents and families from Duke University in 1990. Dr. Meyer has worked in the child welfare and the child and adult mental health fields as a clinician, administrator, teacher, policy maker, program developer, expert witness, researcher, consultant, and trainer.  He has been the Deputy Clinical Director of the New Mexico CYFD Protective Services Division; the Executive Director of the Albuquerque Child and Family Guidance Center; the Executive Director of the Virginia Treatment Center for Children; and the Interim Associate Chief of Mental Health Clinical Services, the Workplace Violence Prevention Coordinator, and the PTSD-SUD Specialist for over 11 years at the McGuire VA Medical Center.  In his current roles, Dr. Meyer oversees psychologists at five regional VA community clinics; provides evidence-based treatments for Veterans who have problems with PTSD, substance abuse, depression, TBI, and other co-occurring conditions; trains psychology trainees; and develops and conducts research on treatments for PTSD, substance abuse, and co-morbid conditions. Dr. Meyer is also a nationally in-demand speaker who has given over 300 presentations and trainings on a wide range of content areas including the treatment of trauma and co-morbid conditions, substance abuse, complex trauma, the effects of trauma and substance abuse on families, Veterans’ mental health, mindfulness meditation, secondary traumatization and self-care, and collaborative courts. He is also the co-author of Transcending Self Therapy:  Group Integrative Cognitive Behavioral Treatment Book for Facilitators (2019), a treatment manual for people with Substance Use Disorders, along with Dr. Jarrod Reisweber. He has been happily married to his wife Sharla for 32 years and has three adult children and one granddaughter, all of whom he adores.

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