In July the Penobscot Nation and Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians sent members of their Treatment Court Teams to the AllRise Treatment Court convention in Nashville, Tennessee. The convention was attended by over 7,000 people representing over 4,000 Treatment Courts throughout the United States.
Chief Justice Eric Mehnert, who presides over both the Penobscot and Maliseet Courts, was inducted into the Goldstein Hall of Fame. The Goldstein Hall of Fame recognizes individuals who have made indelible contributions to the treatment court field, those whose work has not only improved individual court programs but has also enhanced the treatment court model and movement. Named for the Nation’s first drug court judge, the Goldstein Hall of Fame is the highest honor AllRise bestows.
In her remarks introducing Justice Mehnert, Carolyn Hardin, AllRise Chief of Training and Research, noted, “Chief Justice Mehnert has been a leading national advocate for Tribal Healing to Wellness Courts, freely giving of his time to provide training, mentorship and support to programs across the nation.
His work has strengthened the capacity of tribal justice to address substance use and related challenges through restorative, community-centered approaches.”
In accepting the award, Justice Mehnert noted that the recognition never belongs to just one person. “This award belongs to Chief Francis of Penobscot and Chief Sabattis of Maliseet and the respective Tribal Councils and Communities who have believed in, and consistently supported, their Wellness Courts. It belongs to all the members of the Wellness Teams, who week in and week out, give freely and tirelessly of their time to support individuals in recovery. It belongs to the individuals in recovery who do the hard work to change their lives.”