Members Present:
Justice Mary Muehlen Maring, Chair
John Grinsteiner
Tom Lamphear
Mikayla Jablonski
Brett Anderson
Travis Rau
Jeff Ubben
Cory Pedersen
Hon. Todd Cresap
Valerie Potter
Scott Hopwood
Douglas Broden
Lisa Nihill
Karen Olson
Hon. Karen Braaten
Bridget Hill
Shawn Peterson
Jacob Havig
Nancy Yon
Ruth Jenny
Deborah Davis
Hon. David Nelson
Cory Collings
Marlyce Wilder
Holly Webster
Karen Kringlie
Kim Hegvik
Robyn Hanson
Luke Kalsow
Steve Mottinger
Melody Peterson
Sean Anderson
Members Absent:
Hon. Donovan Foughty
Larry Robinson
Hon. Steve McCullough
Staff:
Marilyn Moe
The Juvenile Drug Court Advisory Committee met by Interactive Video Network on
April 13, 2012. The meeting was called to order by Chair Justice Mary Muehlen Maring.
Judge Todd Cresap moved to approve the minutes of October 28, 2011. Deborah
Davis seconded the motion. Motion carried.
New Business:
Tom Lamphear reported for the Bismarck Team. Three graduations and one
termination occurred since their last reporting period. Currently, six participants are enrolled in
the program..
The South Central Judicial District Juvenile Drug Court is holding a workshop on May
31, 2012, entitled Juvenile Drug Court 101 at the Burleigh County Courthouse. This workshop
will provide local professionals the opportunity to learn the components, strategies, and
requirements of the juvenile drug court program. The invited guests will also have a chance to
observe juvenile drug court staffing and juvenile drug court. The invited guests will include
school principals, assistant principals, school resource officers, local psychologists and
psychiatrists, pastors, priests, Bismarck Police Youth Bureau representatives, Lutheran Social
Services trackers, and other local professionals.
Tom Lamphear and Cory Pedersen met with the court officers from South Central to
restructure the intake process for juvenile drug court. The South Central juvenile court officers
will meet every Wednesday to consider candidates for the JDC program. The Bismarck juvenile
drug court team will also meet to consider ways to tailor the juvenile drug court program to meet
the needs of juvenile court.
Bridget Hill reported for the Grand Forks Team. Grand Forks currently has four
participants. Three participants have graduated and five participants have been terminated since
the last reporting period.
Nancy Yon is the new State’s Attorney on the juvenile drug court team and Jacob Havig
is the new probation officer assigned to juvenile drug court.
In December, the participants helped with the “Sox for Kids” project. Team members
and participants assisted in wrapping Christmas gifts for underprivileged children. The children
were then allowed to purchase Christmas gifts for their family members through donations. The
participants attended a life skills class called the Youth Cognitive Program. The mission of this
program is to teach participants coping skills to deal with anger, stress, build self-esteem, and to
supply skills to communicate more effectively in order to increase their quality of life. The team
and participants will celebrate National Drug Court Month in May. A bowling competition will
be held and the team that earns the highest score will receive a trophy and treats of their liking.
In June, the participants will attend the Alive at 25 driver’s course. After completion, each
participant is eligible for driver’s license point reduction and an insurance discount. During
June, July, and August, the drug court participants and team members will have a special project
once a month in place of the drug court session. The team will decide on projects to be
accomplished during the summer months at the next team meeting.
In response to a question by Justice Maring, Judge Braaten explained that the number of
Grand Forks participants is low because they are in the process of cycling the graduates. The
team recently experienced, three graduations and five terminations. Karen Olson, a Devils Lake
team member, reported some critical issues, due to the lack of addiction services. Justice Maring
contacted JoAnne Hoesel and requested a list of all treatment facilities in North Dakota. Marilyn
Moe will forward the list to team members. Deborah Davis, Grand Forks team member,
explained that the residential program that the Northeast Human Service Center had in Grand
Forks has closed because of lack of addiction counselors and lack of referrals to the program.
Deborah said private practices starting in the state may be influencing the trend moving more to
outpatient treatment. Cory Pedersen said he had been contacted to complete a survey from the
Dept. of Human Services on the department’s programs. Deborah Davis stated that Don Wright
is the head of the Division that would be able to provide answers the addiction shortage.
Valerie Potter reported for the Minot Drug Court Team. Minot currently has four
participants in its program and has had zero graduations and one termination. One of Minot’s
drug court participants graduated from the Grand Forks Juvenile Drug Court and the Minot drug
court team watched the graduation via IVN.
In March, the Ward County Drug Task Force gave a presentation to the juvenile drug
court participants parents, parents of juvenile court referrals, and team members. The
informative meeting was open to everyone who works or interacts with adolescents.
Val Potter, Sean Anderson, and Judge Hagar attended the St. Joseph’s Community Health
Foundation luncheon at the Grand International Inn. Juvenile drug court was presented a check
for $1,000.00 for the drug court’s incentive program. Val Potter and Sean Anderson attended a
Kiwanis luncheon at the Grand International Inn. Juvenile Drug Court was presented a check for
$500.00 for the drug court’s incentive program. Val Potter and Harlan Johnson also gave a
juvenile drug court presentation for Phi Delta Kappa. Following the presentation, the
organization made a donation of $60.00 to the drug court incentive program.
Rob White, Minot Police Department, has replaced Jason Olson on the drug court team.
Ashley Biehl has been sitting in for Bob Slorby, Assistant State’s Attorney, and Carmen Latella
has left her position with the North Central Human Service Center.
Val Potter met with officials from the Roosevelt Park Zoo to discuss plans for a summer
community service project. The juvenile drug court participants will work on various jobs this
summer to bring the zoo back to life after the devastating flood.
Parents are continuing to meet with Marilyn Carlson, family support specialist, on the last
Thursday of each month. The team is receiving positive feedback from the juveniles and parents
about the family sessions. Judge Cresap expressed how the family program has improved their
drug court. He said that having the sessions immediately following the drug court session on
Thursday was especially important because it gives the participants and parents the opportunity
to express their thoughts and opinions while they are still fresh on their minds.
Jason Anderson, Northwest Human Service Center, also commented on the shortage of
licensed addiction counselors in Minot. He stated that they have applicants but there are no
places for them to live in Minot. Judge Cresap offered that the low numbers in their court is
substantially affected by the shortage of law enforcement and the types of other cases law
enforcement handle, such as traffic.
Robyn Hanson reported for the Fargo Team. Fargo currently has seven participants.
One participant graduated, one was terminated, one was suspended, and one died during this
reporting period.
The participants completed bell ringing for the Salvation Army, cooked a meal for the
guests at the Ronald McDonald House, and attended a job interviewing class and lunch with Job
Service. A past graduate of the East Central Juvenile Drug Court was a guest speaker at a drug
court session. The participants continue to attend Equip Boy’s group classes, Girl’s group
classes, and Life Management classes.
In November, the team members gathered for a session with a grief counselor to process
the loss of a participant of the East Central’s juvenile drug court.
Trudy Dick reported for the Devils Lake Team. Devils Lake currently has two
participants in its program. As of October 2011, two participants were terminated from the
program.
Kathy Reichenberg, a treatment provider from Center for Success, has replaced Koko
Karlin on the drug court team.
A team retreat was held in January to discuss program strengths and weaknesses and to
consider improvements to benefit the program. Much of the discussion focused on providing a
better transition out of drug court to hopefully provide more success for the participants. As a
result, the team has added another path to the program to help ease the participants out of the
program and provide them with continued support. The new path will extend the program by 10
weeks. The new path will be implemented with the next participants that enter the drug court
program.
Justice Maring reported that the studies Dr. Kevin Thompson completed showed the
length of stay in drug court should be 9 - 12 months.
The drug court participants volunteered at an elementary school’s fall festival and also
loaded boxes for Operation Christmas Child. The participants made baby blankets and donated
them to the First Choice Clinic in Devils Lake.
Holly Webster reported for the Williston Team. Williston will continue to be placed
on hold. The team members will all attend the National Drug Court Training Conference in
Nashville and will also be trained by the Bismarck Juvenile Drug Court. The court is hoping to
start in the late fall.
Justice Maring asked if law enforcement has added new staff. Holly Webster stated that
law enforcement has hired new staff and she hopes that will bring in more juvenile referrals.
Report on Home Searches - Justice Maring asked Jim Ganje, staff attorney, to research
issues on court officers doing home searches on drug court participants. Justice Maring read her
summarization at the meeting.
Chief Justice VandeWalle has recommended that a formal administrative rule be drafted
to institutionalize the program. Justice Maring and Marilyn Moe met with Jim Ganje to ask him
to draft a comprehensive administrative rule institutionalizing juvenile drug court. Justice
Maring asked Marilyn Moe to send out the draft administrative rule prior to the fall meeting.
This administrative rule will provide the juvenile drug court with the authority to establish
procedures and a Juvenile Drug Court Advisory Board will be established.
South Central Juvenile Drug Court 10th Anniversary - Marilyn Moe reported that the
Bismarck Juvenile Drug Court will celebrate its 10th anniversary in October. The celebration will
be held in conjunction with the next advisory meeting.
National Drug Court Month - May is National Drug Court Month. Marilyn Moe will
draft a proclamation for Governor Dalrymple to sign.
Old Business:
Juvenile Drug Court Program Manual - The revised program manual has been
distributed to all the courts and sent to the National Drug Court Institute. Marilyn Moe reminded
the juvenile drug court coordinators to ensure that their participants sign updated consent forms.
Marilyn also reminded them to ensure they are using updated brochures and participant manuals.
The next meeting date will be held in conjunction with the 10th Juvenile Drug Court
Anniversary for Bismarck Juvenile Drug Court. The meeting will be held on October 4, 2012.
Meeting adjourned.
Marilyn Moe