NEWSWORTHY

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.

Read the Press Release here.

Watch the Spokane County Board of Commissioners Therapeutic Court Month proclamation here.

Photo credit above: Charissa Suhr

“Judges from Spokane’s therapeutic courts spoke passionately about the transformative power of these programs. Judge Shelley Zamplin emphasized the ripple effects of success stories, noting how graduates often become positive role models in their communities. One graduate shared a poignant reflection on his journey through the DUI court, illustrating the profound personal changes facilitated by the program. The meeting also featured remarks from County Clerk Tim Fitzhroud, who highlighted the impressive recidivism rates of Spokane’s Veterans Court, which stands at just 5.7%, compared to the national average of 72-75%. He noted that many participants credit the program with saving their lives, underscoring the critical role of therapeutic courts in fostering recovery and community reintegration.” (From Citizen Portal AI Scribe). Read More about the event.

Learn about Mental Health America’s Go Green Campaign for Mental Health Awareness.

Spokane County’s Behavioral Health Adult Felony Therapeutic Courts were among the first in the nation. Read about them HERE.

Click here to read the full story. (The Chronicle)

I am the manager for the Lewis County Drug Court and Family Recovery Court (LCDC and FRC) Programs. Our programs are well supported by this community, the Foundation for Therapeutic Courts of Lewis County (FTCLC) and the Drug Court Alumni Association.

May is National Treatment Court Month. Since 2019, Lewis County has opted to put on a community 5K to raise awareness about our local therapeutic courts. Every year, it gets bigger. This year, we had more than 240 registered walkers and runners — over 100 more than the 2023 5K.

Thank you, Lewis County!

We appreciate those of you who walked or jogged alongside current participants, those who are new in their recovery journey because that was what this entire event was about — Recovery for the Long Run.

During the awards presentation, the community was able to be part of an alumni receiving his six-year coin. Congrats to all the winners and to Scotty. This is the good stuff.

We appreciate the local businesses who sponsored T-shirts, water or gave financial donations to the event — Eugenia Center, Chehalis Law, Centralia Law, Tinoco’s Construction, Coastal Community Action and Holiday Inn Express. Thank you to Jim K. for timing and to Sentry Crossfit for providing a pre-race warmup.

Fundraising efforts go right back to local therapeutic court programs and provide the additional supports, not funded through our regular budget. For example, the Mental Health Court Program will be hosting a luncheon for current participants and graduates to promote community. This should be the start of something big for them. Drug Court and FRC alumni will host their annual campout for current participants, a place where mentorship, community and fun in recovery gets endorsed. This list goes on.

Thank you to the current members of the foundation. If you are interested in joining this good cause, I would encourage you to reach out to one of the officers: Len Jackson (President), Karlyn Fritz (Vice President), Gerald Braden (Treasurer) or Emily La Casse (Secretary). I would be happy to connect with you to answer any questions.

Lastly, I want to applaud the alumni of these programs who show up to help put on program events. There are many alumni integrated into our community, doing the next right thing day after day. Some impact those still suffering with their lived experience and working directly in the field of giving back. Others provide positive influence in different ways, like job opportunities. They all continue to build the greater Drug Court community with actions that support a long-term commitment to the programs that saved them, each other and their recovery.

Graduations are the perfect opportunity to see what this is really all about. The next Drug Court graduation is Monday June 2. It will be held in Lewis County Superior Court, department one, and begins at 3 p.m.

It is an open courtroom, and you are invited to attend.

Stephanie Miller

Lewis County Drug Court

Click here to watch the full video. (KEPR)

Tri-Cities, Wash — In honor of National Drug Court Month, State leaders are speaking out about local drug diversion programs.

Darryl Coleman and Joe Barsana are both graduates of the diversion program, it’s a program that offers alternatives instead of incarceration.

This includes rehabilitation program for certain offenders that might be related to substance abuse.

In Therapeutic court, judges, attorneys , and mental health counselors will work as a team to support the participant through the recovery progress instead of punishment.

This program is a year long but some people might take years before becoming fully recovered.

” I lived at the mission with no hope and not thinking I had anything left at fifty one years , you know and so I didn’t. I tried to take my life while I was there, and then I got into this just right after I started therapeutic courts, and they wrapped their arms around me. I was concerned I was gonna get kicked out and they took me in ” said Darryl Coleman , Board of Directors in Washington State Therapeutic Alumni.

Jerry Cliff graduated today from one of the recovery programs after attending for a little over a year.

She was celebrated with balloons, and a cake along with her support system by her side.

Cliff had three DUI prior and she said the program has allowed her to move forwards in life.

Once she realized she had a problem.

“I was weak , wanting to help but I didn’t know how to do it or what it what the feelings were exactly , and going through treatment . And this program really taught me what I was feeling was normal, I was having . that I feel like stronger ” said Jerry Cliff | Graduate in one of the recovery programs.

Coleman and Barsana are now leaders in the program and will be sharing their personal stories tomorrow at the Washington Deflection and Diversion Summit at the Three River Convention center.

Admission is free but register before. Here is the link if you would like to register.

Click here to read more about Grays Harbor District Court launching a DUI Therapeutic Court as part of countywide commitment to therapeutic justice and rehabilitation. (The Daily World).

On May 6, District Court Judge Bartlett received a proclamation from Clark County Council Members, formally designating May 2025 as Therapeutic Court Month. This recognition underscores the county’s dedication to restorative justice and the profound impact of therapeutic courts. By observing Therapeutic Court Month, Clark County reinforces its commitment to a justice system that fosters healing, emphasizing rehabilitation, reunification, and lasting recovery.

Click here to watch as Judge Bartlett accepts the proclamation that was signed by all Council members of Clark County declaring May 2025 as Therapeutic Court Month.

In addition, the following letter was written in the Columbian (Vancouver, WA) by Joe Barsana, providing personal testimony, which directly correlated with Clark’s recent proclamation (as well as others in the state of Washington, and across the US), as May 2025 is recognized as National Therapeutic Court Month. Read here to see Joe’s letter published by the Columbian on May 14, 2025.