The gila river adult treat court (ATC) program will use this project to enhance the services provided to adults in the community who have criminal cases in which they are abusing substances or alcohol

The Gila River Adult Treat Court (ATC) Program was awarded a $873,094 Project Grant from the U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) under the Treatment Court Discretionary Grant Program (CFDA 16.585). The goal of this 4-year grant, with a period of performance from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2028, is to enhance and expand the services provided to adults in the Gila River Indian Community who are facing criminal cases involving substance abuse or alcohol use disorders. The ATC Program will implement evidence-based practices and a holistic, culturally competent approach to provide intensive judicial monitoring, substance use disorder and mental health treatment, and cultural activities and teachings to help participants live healthy, sober lives and avoid recidivism. This grant award will enable the Gila River Indian Community to strengthen its partnerships with behavioral health, legal, and probation services to deliver a multi-disciplinary, comprehensive treatment court program for its members.

The ATC goals are to enhance and expand operations and services the gila river indian community participants receive in the program. The strategy for this project will be to implement evidence-based practices that will meet the needs of underserved native americans in a holistic culturally competent approach to recovery. The ATC will work closely with partners from behavioral health services, prosecutors, defense attorney and probation to provide intensive judicial monitoring and interventions using a multi-disciplinary approach to treat participants substance use disorder and/or CO-occurring mental health disorders. Another significant partnership is with gila river's traditional counselor/elders to help facilitate cultural teachings and activities to allow the participant to reconnect to their community and way of life. The anticipated outcomes would be that participants in the ATC will begin to live healthy and sober lives with a better understanding of their culture and practices for wellness and recovery as a means to not reenter the judicial system.