The blackfeet tribe of the blackfeet indian reservation proposes to enhance their youth healing to wellness court programs by strengthening protective factors

The Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs Bureau of Justice Assistance awarded the Blackfeet Tribe of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation $400,000 on October 1, 2025, under the Treatment Court Discretionary Grant Program (CFDA 16.585) to enhance its Youth Healing to Wellness Court program by strengthening protective factors for youth.

The Mioohpokoiksi program delivers evidence-based mental health and substance use disorder treatment services integrated with the tribe's cultural values and healing practices. The program aims to help youth develop life-changing connections to tribal cultural traditions while reducing delinquency, addiction, and trauma impacts. Deliverables include strengthening community partnerships and improving participant supervision through additional probation resources.

The award carries a period of performance from October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2030, with place of performance in Browning, Montana. The Treatment Court Discretionary Grant Program supports implementation and enhancement of adult treatment courts, juvenile drug courts, family treatment courts, and tribal healing to wellness courts that integrate substance use disorder treatment, mandatory drug testing, incentives and sanctions, and transitional services within a judicially supervised setting to reduce recidivism and improve outcomes for individuals and families.

Project activities in the mioohpokoiksi program include helping youth develop life-changing connections to the cultural values and healing practices of the tribe, while receiving evidence-based mental health and substance use and disorder treatment services. The tribe has already seen that the holistic and collaborative approach of this model effectively reduces delinquency, addiction, and traumas impacts on youth in the community. Deliverables and expected outcomes of this enhancement include strengthening community partnerships and improving supervision of participants by adding probation resources.