Therapeutic court graduates and participants attend the Washington State Therapeutic Court Alumni Association (WSTCAA) Celebration in Richland on May 24, 2025.
Reflections on the event from WSTCAA President, Joe Barsana:
“We had strong representation from across the state, including participants and alumni from Benton, Franklin, Spokane, Kitsap, Pierce, King, Grays Harbor, Yakima, Mason, and Lewis Counties. The location was absolutely beautiful, as our conference room sat on the beautiful boardwalk of the Colombia River.
One of the highlights of the event was presenting Annie Chau with the first-ever WSTCAA Empowerment Award. She was nominated by dozens of Benton County therapeutic court participants and alumni for her tireless dedication and advocacy. It was an honor to recognize her invaluable impact on the Benton County recovery community. She had us all crying during her speech!
WSADCP Board Member and Benton County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney, Annie Chau, and some human and canine supporters!
We also gave a loud and heartfelt shout-out to Terree Schmidt-Whelan and Pierce County Alliance! Their generous sponsorship helped make this gathering possible, and we remain deeply grateful for their support.
The event featured a powerful lineup of speakers, including:
- Annie Chau, WSADCP Board Member 😊 and Benton County Therapeutic Court prosecutor.
- Dr. Alyssa Pearce, who recently launched Benton and Franklin Counties new Therapeutic Court program and is preparing to celebrate their first graduate.
- Oswaldo Herrera, a Yakima County alumni with a powerful story of growing up in Yakima and finding recovery after a lifetime of addiction and crime.
- Jason Bliss, the Executive Director of the Washington Association of Quality Recovery Residences, who has been instrumental in housing therapeutic court participants across Washington State.
Oswaldo Herrera, a Yakima County Alumni who now works as a Substance Use Disorder Professional (SUDP) on the Benton County Recovery Court team.
We were also honored by a visit from Richland Mayor Theresa Richardson, who took time to speak directly with several current Benton County participants about their experiences in the program.
City of Richland Mayor, Theresa Richardson (second from left), celebrates with WSTCAA Board Members (L-R) Tonia McClanahan, Joe Barsana, and Darryl Coleman.
This was a meaningful and inspiring event, and we are so grateful for the support that made it all possible. Thank you again to everyone who has supported the WSTCAA. We look forward to the next special celebration!”
