Wellness Court

Wellness Court

    Mille Lacs Band Family Healing to Wellness Court

    Noojimo'wiigamig Inaawaniidiwag (Healing Journey)

    The Noojimo’wiigamig Inaawanidiwag program helps Mille Lacs Band families impacted by substance abuse by a cooperative process grounded in Band culture and traditional teachings as an alternative to the usual child protection court process. Children may be reunified with their parents sooner and have shorter stays in foster care.
    Title 5, Chapter 4 of the Mille Lacs Band Statutes established the program and provides details.

    Help to Grow A Healthy Family

    Noojimo’wiigamig Inaawanidiwag focuses on parents, guardians, or custodians whose substance abuse contributes to a child’s neglect or abuse—resulting in the family becoming involved in child protection proceedings. This voluntary, confidential program uses a team of professional and cultural advisors to collect and coordinate the services and resources needed to help a child’s caregiver become and stay sober.

    Services Offered

    Substance Abuse Treatment & Testing
    Assessments for substance use disorder are provided, recommendations for treatment are offered, and random drug testing is conducted to support sobriety.

    Cultural Connections
    Assistance is offered to connect to Band cultural resources, traditions and customs, and Anishinaabe values to help in the healing process.

    Counseling Services
    Referrals are made for mental health assessments and individual and family counseling for trauma, grief, loss, anxiety, family of origin, depression, and other issues.

    Medical Care
    Referrals are available for patient-centered medical care through prevention, screening, treatment, and recovery services for those with substance use disorders.

    Peer & Group Recovery Support
    Support for substance use recovery with the assistance of peer supports or connections to a variety of recovery groups are offered.

    Housing Location Aid
    Help is available to address housing eligibility barriers and to locate and apply for housing.

    Education & Employment Guidance
    Referrals for assistance to obtain a high school diploma or GED, preparation for job applications, and to find employment are offered.

    Parenting Time & Education
    Coordination with Mille Lacs Band Family Services to ensure parents can have time with their child and to obtain education on how to parent better can be arranged.

    Transportation
    Transportation for treatment, counseling, medical appointments, parenting time, and participation in cultural or family events is provided.

    Eligibility

    The purpose of the Family Healing to Wellness Court is to bring together healing services, cultural resources, and substance use treatment by using an enhanced team approach. Band children and families impacted by substance abuse and mental health disorders are better served by a cooperative process grounded in Mille Lacs Band culture and traditional teachings as an alternative to the usual child protection court process.

    To be eligible for Noojimo’wiigamig Inaawanidiwag, an individual must be a parent, guardian, or custodian caring for a child who is either: (1) a Mille Lacs Band enrolled member, (2) eligible for membership in the Band, or (3) a Band member descendant, and the child must be the subject of a child protection case. The caregiver must also be:

    • Diagnosed with a substance use disorder condition.
    • Willing to follow treatment recommendations.
    • Ready and able to comply with the program’s requirements.
    • Willing to execute release to share of information with the Healing Journey Team.
    • Not a violent offender or perpetrator of sexual abuse or felony child abuse.

    Requirements

    Noojimo’wiigamig Inaawanidiwag has four phases that start a child’s caregiver on the road to sobriety and sustain long-term recovery. Healing from addiction and learning new tools to avoid substance abuse takes time so the program can be from 12 to 18 months long. Although the program may seem long in duration, children are returned to the custody of their caregiver sooner as compared to the regular court process, which can take more than two years for children to leave foster care.

    The four phases are represented by Ojibwe sacred medicines:

    • Phase 1—Asaama (Tobacco) New Beginnings
    • Phase 2—Giizhik (Northern White Cedar) Personal Responsibility
    • Phase 3—Mashkodewashk (White Sage) Cooperation and Accountability
    • Phase 4—Wiingashk (Sweetgrass) Completion and Sharing
    • Phase requirements are listed in the Noojimo’wiigamig Inaawanidiwag Participant Handbook.

    Admission

    To be admitted to the Family Healing to Wellness Court, a child’s caregiver must file a Petition for Admission with the Mille Lacs Band District Court. After the petition is filed, the Healing Journey Team reviews the petition to decide whether to admit the caregiver to the program according to a four-step process:

    Step 1. The caregiver meets with the Wellness Court Case Manager and once eligibility for the program is confirmed, the caregiver receives a substance abuse assessment and treatment recommendations, if needed.

    Step 2. The Healing Journey Team meets and reviews the petition and the substance abuse assessment and decides whether to recommend admission into the program.

    Step 3. Once the Team recommends admission into the Wellness Court, the caregiver meets with the Case Manager to develop a Wellness Plan

    Step 4. If the caregiver agrees to comply with the program requirements and the Wellness Plan, the judge grants the petition and issues an order admitting the petitioner into the program.

    Forms

    FHTWC Program Application
    Download PDF
    Download Application

    Petition for Admission
    Download PDF

    Referral Agreement
    Download PDF

    Conditions of Participation
    Download PDF

    Non-Participating Parent's Waiver
    Download PDF

    Physician & Pharmacy Conditions
    Download PDF

    Visitor Confidentiality Agreement
    Download PDF

    Governance

    Oversight
    The Mille Lacs Band’s Chief Executive, Chief Justice, Speaker of the Assembly and District Representatives have overall oversight responsibility for the effectiveness of the Family Healing to Wellness Court.

    Steering Committee
    A Steering Committee with members designated by the Mille Lacs Band District Court Judge provides advicesand guidance in the development of Noojimo’wiigamig Inaawanidiwag procedures and addresses any gaps in treatment or services needed by program participants.

    Healing Journey Team
    A team of individuals work daily with each Healing Journey participant ensuring that services are provided, that program requirements are being complied with, and that progress toward sobriety and family reunification is celebrated. The core Healing Journey Team members include:

    Tammy Swanson
    Special Magistrate
    Presiding Judge

    Gilda Burr
    Court Administrator

    Kerri Johnson
    Band Member Legal Aid Director

    Laurie Vilas
    Tribal Court Peacemaker

    Theresa James
    Healing to Wellness Court
    Case Manager

    Pamela Chichila
    Guardian ad Litem

    Arlene Bentley
    Court Clerk I

    Abigail Waaranemi
    Family Services
    Lead Social Worker

    Chandell Boyd
    Assistant Director
    Substance Use Disorders
    Department

    Christa Danko-Shaller
    Deputy Solicitor General

    Joe Nayquonabe
    Band Elder & Cultural Advisor

    Crystal Weckert
    Behavioral Health Therapist

    Rachel Boyd
    Case Manager
    Aanijbimaadizing

    Ogimaa Giniw (Bobby Eagle)
    Cultural Advisor &
    Four Winds Representative

    Derrick Naumann
    Sergeant, Tribal Police