Lethbridge’s Drug Treatment Court: How will it Help the Addiction Crisis? With Chelsey De Groot and Brett Carlson

The Lethbridge Drug Treatment Court is contained within the criminal justice system and operates within the same legal framework that governs all adult criminal court proceedings in the Provincial Court of Alberta. The drug court operates based on a guilty plea with a delayed sentencing process (s.720 (2) of the Criminal Code) with entry being dependent on the consent of the Crown, Court, and the Accused. The Lethbridge Drug Treatment Court program is founded on national and international principles for drug treatment courts, is committed to community justice and restoration and are a support service program under the direction of McMan Youth, Family and Community Services Association. The speaker will talk about what the court is, how it operates, and the expectations and model of the program.   Speaker:   Chelsey De Groot and Brett Carlson           My Blackfoot name is Naamiitaapii Aahkkoiyiiniimaki. I hold a Master of Arts in Leadership, Bachelor of Applied Arts in Justice Studies, and a Diploma in Child and Youth Care and General Studies. I have spent the past 15 years working with vulnerable populations in various capacities such as family preservation, youth mentorship, as well as with individuals experiencing homelessness. My career shifted to the Supervised Consumption Site where I created and lead a program called I’taamohkanoohsin, meaning “everyone comes together. This program was created in partnership with Blackfoot Elders and the Lethbridge Police to assist vulnerable, street involved individuals in re-connecting to their culture. This program also allowed us to travel to surrounding communities to share knowledge about the Blackfoot people. I’taamohkanoohsin expanded to our Hip Hop for Healing program which allowed vulnerable people to create, record and perform their music, creating a space for alternative healing through music. I am also an Instructor at the Lethbridge College, teaching inmates at the Lethbridge Correctional Centre and Medicine Hat Remand Centre and The Regional Director for Drug Treatment Courts in Southern Alberta.   Brett Carlson earned a BA from the University of Regina, later graduating with an LLB from the University of Victoria. Brett was called to the Bar in 1992 and has been with Legal Aid Alberta since 2008 as duty counsel in the Lethbridge Court House.  For just over a year, Brett has been duty counsel in the Lethbridge Drug Treatment Court (DTC).  He was a former President of the Interfaith Food Bank. Brett resides in Lethbridge with his spouse and two children.