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Six people sat around a large conference table in a first-floor courtroom at Bellingham Municipal Court one morning in mid-July. There were court employees, defense and city attorneys and, at the head of the table, a judge. Each of them was present with an express goal: to help the people enrolled in the Municipal Court’s new Community Court program address the underlying factors leading to their criminal charges and avoid future involvement in the justice system.

The community court had its soft launch in January, over a decade after it was initially proposed. Individuals charged with certain crimes – most often drug possession, shoplifting and driving with a suspended or revoked license – are recommended to the program by Ryan Anderson, lead prosecutor for the City Attorney’s Office. The first official participants joined in February. Anderson said he’s reviewed about 1,400 arraignments since January to determine whether to recommend them for the community court, and that the court will “continue to refine that process.” He said he referred at least eight people last week alone, though not all are admitted. People referred to the program undergo an assessment to see if they would benefit from it. There are currently about 20 participants.

What is Community Court? The community court program lasts between three months and two years, depending on the case. Participants are connected with resources in the community and partner organizations, including local service providers and non-profits, to receive education, substance use disorder treatment, housing, job training or other services they may need.

They may be required to complete community service hours, attend addiction treatment or make restitution payments as part of the program. Upon completion, their case will be dismissed. “We have wanted to establish our Community Court for a while, and now that we’ve built the foundation, it’s gratifying to have the ability and resources to help people overcome their struggles and improve their lifestyle,” Community Court Judge Debra Lev and Commissioner Nicholas Henery said in a joint response to The Bellingham Herald. Bellingham Municipal Court held a celebratory launch of the community court on Tuesday, July 22, inviting community members and city officials to see the court calendar in action. Seven people appeared before the judge during the proceedings, including one person who was still deciding whether to participate in the program. Each was met with applause from the audience when they were called and after they finished their hearings. Most of the participants were working towards getting their driver’s licenses back, and discussed their progress on action plans with the others at the table. If there were roadblocks or issues that they were struggling with, such as dealing with open cases in other counties or attending a theft awareness class, court employees helped brainstorm ways to overcome them and provided encouragement.

Lev and Henery said that the community court gives them “a unique opportunity to interact and get to know individuals and their situations on a more personal level.” The community court, while the newest, is not the only alternative court program offered at Bellingham Municipal Court. The court also operates a dedicated domestic violence court and therapeutic court, which focuses on promoting mental health treatment. The court is in the early stages of considering the implementation of a dedicated DUI court.

Lev and Henery said that while the community court will always be a work in progress, the impact so far has been “very encouraging.” “It’s a special honor to help individuals improve their lives and see results towards that outcome in a relatively short period of time.” Editor’s Note (July 29): This article was updated to properly attribute community court program recommendations to Ryan Anderson, lead prosecutor for the City Attorney’s Office.

Read more at: https://www.bellinghamherald.com/news/local/article311464335.html#storylink=cpy

Saturday, July 26, 2025:

The Pierce County Alliance (PCA) Alumni Association, led by Mike Moen, Alumni Coordinator, held a fundraising carnival.  PCA received a number of wonderful donations for a silent auction, we had a dunk tank which Rose, the Prosecutor, volunteered for, as well as many other fun things.  It was an amazing success, heavily attended by drug court graduates and current clients. 

Additionally, and most appreciated, were the past and present Superior and Municipal Court Judges, prosecutors and defense attorneys who took time out of their weekend to be with us. 

Our guest of honor was Carlos Gonzales, President of the National Treatment Court Alumni Association (NTCAA), an affiliate of ALL RISE. Carlos lived in Tacoma for years. 

Jami Bonomo, Court Liaison for Felony Drug Court, worked tirelessly with Mike Moen to really create an incredible day for everyone. 

I am pleased to announce that we raised almost $6,000!

~Dr. Terree Schmidt-Whelan (PCA Executive Director)

The WSTCAA & King County Drug Court are inviting you to an upcoming in-person Recovery Month celebration happening on September 20^th at Angle Lake Park in SeaTac, WA. The BBQ and celebration is open to all

Read here a about how a Lewis County Drug Court Graduate proves his dedication and determination to succeed. (The Chronicle)

Click here to read full article (Lynwood Times). Way to go Snohomish County!

Snohomish County Recovery Court celebrates its 1,000th graduate

https://lynnwoodtimes.com/2025/06/13/adult-recovery-court-1000-gradutes/

On Friday, June 6, 2025, Vancouver Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle joined the “meal train” initiative, providing lunch for participants of the Clark County/City of Vancouver’s Community Court. Pictured above are Kevin McClure from the Vancouver City Attorney’s Office, Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle, and Commissioner Erin Priest of Clark County District Court.

The court is deeply grateful for the ongoing support from the City of Vancouver and Clark County. To further this effort, Sue Ondik of the Clark County Volunteer Lawyers Program (as a private nonprofit) has organized a “meal train” sign-up, allowing community members to donate lunches or other food items to be distributed during Community Court sessions to its participants- many of whom face housing insecurity and have limited access to meals, which has made these contributions especially meaningful.

Click here to read about a local graduates story (The Olympian).

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!”

Members of WSADCP Gather in Kennewick at the 1st WA Deflection and Diversion Summit with Partners from the WA State Therapeutic Court Alumni Association & Administrative Office of the Courts. (May 23, 2025)

WSADCP Board Member, Tanya Sturm, presents (along with WSADCP Board President, Christina Mason), on Therapeutic Courts as an Effective Part of the Community Deflection & Diversion Continuum. (May 23, 2025)

View the Presentation HERE.

WSADCP Board Member & WSTCAA President, Joe Barsana, presents along with WSTCAA Board Member, Darryl Coleman, on Incorporating Peers and Alumni into Court Services. (May 23, 2025)

View the Presentation HERE.