Indian township seeks funding to fully implement its youth wellness court (YWC)

The Indian Township Tribal Government was awarded a $400,000 Project Grant from the U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance under the Treatment Court Discretionary Grant Program (CFDA 16.585). The funding will support the implementation and enhancement of the Passamaquoddy Tribe's Youth Wellness Court (YWC), which provides culturally appropriate, rehabilitative alternatives to criminal sentencing for Passamaquoddy youth with substance use or addiction issues. The YWC aims to help these youth become healthy, productive citizens by delivering wraparound services and a path to healing through the incorporation of tribal values, traditions, and community. The grant has an award date of Oct 1, 2023 and an ultimate completion date of Sep 30, 2028.

The YWC was designed to provide holistic, culturally appropriate, and rehabilitative alternatives to passamaquoddy tribal court, criminal sentencing, and other punitive actions for passamaquoddy youth who have come into negative contact with the court system due, directly or indirectly, to substance use or addiction. The mission of the YWC is to help passamaquoddy youth become healthy, productive citizens by providing wraparound services and a path to healing through the incorporation of tribal values, traditions, and community.