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Commissioners approve letter supporting Walla Walla County Community Court grant application
Summary
The board authorized the chair to sign a letter supporting Community Court's application to continue funding for a position that helps link citations to treatment and support services.
Walla Walla County commissioners on May 12 authorized the chair to sign a letter of support for the county’s Community Court as it reapplies for grant funding to continue a position the program currently holds.
Commissioner Todd L. Kimball presented background on the program and showed commissioners a participant progress board used in Community Court. He described the court as a program run with judicial leadership that routes people with substance-use, mental-health or veteran-related issues into treatment and supportive services as alternatives to repeated citations. "When they start their community court session, they get a blank slate... and as they work through their phases, they get these little chips and they start filling up their board," Kimball said.
County staff said the program has shown early success including a veterans mentorship component supported by the Veterans' VRAB group. Commissioners approved the letter of support by unanimous vote; the action allows Community Court organizers to include county endorsement when they reapply for the grant that funds the staff position.
Background: Commissioners noted concerns about federal-level budget cuts but said conversations with grant administrators had been "encouraging" and that reapplying was appropriate to sustain the local program.
