January 2019
Mentors Change Lives!
Mentorship can be a transformational relationship for those in treatment court. Mentors provide an empathetic voice, serve as a living example of successful sobriety, and act as a guide to the recovery community for new participants. Mentors can also communicate common client needs or barriers to court staff.  Through this work, mentors gain a sense of fulfillment and are supported in their own recovery.

Some drug treatment courts give participants in the final phase of the program a chance to practice mentorship, called a mentor in training program. Interested in creating your own? Check out this example of a policies and procedures manual for mentors in training.

This month, in recognition of National Mentoring Month, NDCRC is highlighting the importance of mentors in Veterans Treatment Court and other problem-solving courts. We are also sharing online resources and encouraging state and local jurisdictions in sharing their mentoring stories online with a hashtag, #MentoringMonth.
U.S. Opioid Crisis: Causes, Effects, and Steps Being Taken
The United States’ opioid crisis is a national public health emergency of staggering proportions. NDCRC has created  U.S. Opioid Crisis: Causes, Effects, and Steps Being Taken , an issue brief that succinctly summarizes the scope of the problem and proposes several interventions for local jurisdictions to stem the devastation.
All You Need to Know about BJA Grants
To help you prepare for the Bureau of Justice Assistance ’ s (BJA) FY2019 open grant solicitations , BJA is hosting a series of educational webinars . Learn about new funding opportunities and tips for writing the best application- Register Today!

January 29, 2019, 1:00 p.m. ET
Learn the primary initiatives BJA plans to fund in 2019, eligibility requirements, and estimated funding amounts.

January 31, 2019, 1:00 p.m. ET
Learn what registrations are necessary to apply, how to navigate grants.gov, and what resources are available for applicants.

February 5, 2019, 1:00 p.m. ET
Discover how to find the critical elements of a solicitation, what applications should include, tips for developing a budget, and how the peer review process works.

February 7, 2019, 1:00 p.m. ET
Examine the importance of using the Application Checklist, how subawards can be incorporated into an application, and how to attach documents. 
News from the National Association of Drug Court Professionals
The National Association of Drug Court Professionals' (NADCP)  National Drug Court Institute   (NDCI) is now accepting applications for sponsored visits to one of nine mentor adult drug courts. NDCI's mentor courts serve as model programs for individuals and court teams interested in starting an adult drug court or for established courts interested in learning innovative practices. Site visits are FREE for up to three individuals per team. Don’t miss this unparalleled, firsthand learning experience.  Click here to learn more and apply.
 
NADCP’s  Journal for Advancing Justice   is now accepting manuscript submissions for its second volume. Volume II will   focus on best and promising practices for addressing opioid use disorders (OUD) in the justice system. Scholars and practitioners from across the justice and public health spectrum are invited to submit practical articles that show data on successful system-wide interventions, implementation strategies for comprehensive programs, and educational efforts which improve the knowledge base of those charged with managing OUD in the justice system. The submission deadline is Tuesday, February 15.  Click here to learn more and submit your article.
News from the Tribal Law and Policy Institute
The Tribal Law and Policy Institute and the Saginaw Chippewa Healing to Wellness Court is hosting a free regional Tribal Healing to Wellness Court refresher training. The training will feature updates on federal grant opportunities, Wellness Court best practices, Family Healing to Wellness Courts best practices, medication-assisted treatment, the role of the judge, and holistic treatment services. 

February 26-27, 2019
Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort
Mt. Pleasant, MI
Questions? Email  wellness@tlpi.org . 
News from the Center for Court Innovation
A virtual site visit to the Buffalo Opioid Court is now live on the Center for Court Innovation 's training website for drug court practitioners! Visit  www.treatmentcourts.org  to watch this video and other brand-new content from drug court experts Judge Tina Nadeau and Dr. David Mee Lee about confidentiality in drug court and individualized relapse prevention techniques. Also hot off the presses is the Center’s podcast  New Thinking - listen and subscribe now. The latest episode, “ Heal and Punish? When Therapy Is the Alternative to Incarceration ,” with Jacob Ham of Icahn Mount Sinai discusses the paradox of healing in a coercive criminal justice system.
Events
The National Drug Court Resource, Policy, and Evidence-Based Practice Center ’s mission is to equip the drug court field with open access to a wide variety of resources and research, helping treatment courts run more effectively.
The  National Drug Court Resource, Policy, and Evidence-Based Practice Center is funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance and operated by the Justice Programs Office (JPO) at American University. Neither the U.S. Department of Justice nor any of its components operate, control, are responsible for, or necessarily endorse the content of this newsletter

Please email  ndcrc@american.edu  with any inquiries. 
 
National Drug Court Resource Center | Justice Programs Office
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