Minnesota wellness court receives award

July 29, 2011

Minnesota: The National Association of Drug Court Professionals (NADCP) has awarded their 2011 Cultural Proficiency Award to the Cass/Itasca County/Leech Tribal Wellness Court, a joint tribal-state "problem-solving" court. The award was presented to Judge John P. Smith of the 9th Judicial District and Judge Korey Wahwassuck of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe Tribal Court on July 20th. The award is given to three drug court programs that show cultural proficiency, specifically in their dealing with minorities. The Cass/Itasca County/Leech Tribal Wellness Court focuses on chronic alcoholic offenders and incorporates treatment and court monitoring to help change their lifestyles. Such problem-solving courts focus more on re-shaping the behavior of the individuals that come before them rather than simply handing down a judgement. Judge Smith stated, "We are particularly proud of the participants in the program who have shown that the innovative methods of problem-solving in the courts can produce a positive change for society. The Wellness Court model not only saves money for the taxpaying public, but also has saved lives."