Florida Problem-Solving Court Conference (2024)
Welcome to the 2024 Problem-Solving Court Conference! The conference offers an array of top-quality training and education opportunities for problem-solving courts. Attendees will also benefit from networking with colleagues from around the state, enjoying entertainment activities, and learning about resources from event sponsors and exhibitors.
Problem-Solving Court Conference Executive Committee
Judge Michele Towbin Singer, Training Committee Chair, FADCP & Circuit Court Judge, Seventeenth Judicial Circuit
Jennifer Grandal, Chief, Office of Problem-Solving Courts, Office of the State Courts Administrator
Judge Melanie May, Outgoing FADCP President & Appellate Court Judge, Fourth District Court of Appeal
Judge Josephine Gagliardi, Incoming FADCP President & County Court Judge, Lee County
Marcia Elder, Lead Problem-Solving Court Conference staff & Training Manager, Office of Problem-Solving Courts, Office of the State Courts Administrator
Bridget Washburn, FADCP Executive Director & Lee County Treatment Courts Manager
Special thanks also for the contributions of:
Judge Janeice Martin, Chair, Steering Committee on Problem-Solving Courts & County Court Judge, Collier County
Alina Stoothoff, Senior Court Operations Consultant, Fifth Judicial Circuit
Kelly Steele, Director of Case Management, Ninth Judicial Circuit
Joanna Greene, Human Services Manager, Martin County Board of County Commissioners
Problem-solving courts play a vital role in responding to the needs of individuals with substance use and mental health disorders who are justice-system involved.
Wednesday, December 11, 2024
10:00 AM – 5:30PM
Registration Check In
Location: Oceans 5-8 Foyer
1:00 PM – 1:30 PM
Welcome & Opening Remarks
Eric Maclure, State Courts Administrator, Office of the State Courts Administrator
Dr. Nora Volkow, MD, Director, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) via Webcast
Location: Oceans 5-8
1:30 PM – 3:00 PM
High in Plain Sight: Current Drug Types, Tactics, and Trends
Officer Jermaine Galloway, “Tall Cop”
This session is for court professionals, prevention specialists, law enforcement, probation officers, treatment providers, health care workers, educators, counselors, and others concerned about substance use. The session is unique, in that it provides over 70 visual aids through photos and videos for a first-hand look at what’s going on in our communities. In today’s culture, everything is person-specific and has different meanings to different individuals. Meanwhile, certain items have gained popularity in the drug and alcohol scene - which changes every day
Location: Oceans 5-8
3:00 PM – 3:15 PM
Refreshment Break
Visit with Tall Cop and Meet Companions for Courage!
3:15 PM – 4:15 PM
Lying to Myself: The Ryan Leaf Story
Ryan D. Leaf, Former NFL Player
In this very personal presentation, Ryan will share his story in a brutally honest format with just a microphone. The event will start with a four-minute video introducing Ryan Leaf and showing highlights of his football career and his dream to be a professional athlete, which began to unravel as a result of making poor choices. From growing up in Great Falls, MT to playing Division 1 football and being the 2nd overall pick in the 1998 NFL Draft while all along being compared to Peyton Manning, he will take the audience on his journey from addiction to sobriety. Additionally, he will relate his story to the audience addressing themes of consequences, perspective, and gratitude. To conclude the session, Ryan will openly address questions from the audience.
Location: Oceans 5-8
4:20 PM – 5:20 PM
Why Can’t People “Just Change”: Hindrances, Barriers and Otherwise Seemingly Impossible Obstacles to Dislodging Behavior©
West Huddleston, Former Long-Time NADCP CEO & Co-Founder, National Drug Court Institute, Principal and CEO, Crux Consulting
Based on one of the highest-ranking concurrent plenaries at the All Rise national conference for several years, West Huddleston provides an engaging and powerful reminder of the constellation of factors that get in the way of change in our own lives, and in the journey of recovery for our participants. Change is hard. It’s critical for those working with a justice-involved, disordered population to understand just how complex it is to unlearn embedded behaviors and get down to the ‘causes and conditions’ that block change and recovery. This session will leave attendees inspired, with a renewed sense of compassion and resolve to help their clients go deeper into healing.
Location: Oceans 5-8
5:45 PM – 7:15 PM
Aloha Dinner Reception & Luau
Location: Pool Terrace & Lawn
Thursday, December 12, 2024
7:00 AM – 8:00 AM
Fellowship Meeting
Location: Nomeus
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM
Breakfast
Location: Oceans 5-8
8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Registration Check-In & Exhibits
Location: Oceans 5-8 Foyer
9:00 AM – 10:30 AM
National Adult Treatment Court Best Practice Standards
Douglas Marlowe, JD, PhD, Senior Scientific Consultant, All Rise
In 2024, All Rise released the second edition of its evidencebased best practice standards. The revised standards incorporate lessons learned over the past decade about best practices that apply to all treatment court models thus far examined. This plenary session will highlight what has changed and provide practical guidance to help treatment courts apply the standards effectively, safely, and efficiently.
Location: Oceans 5-8
10:30 AM – 10:45 AM
Break
10:45 AM – 12:00 PM
Breakout Session A
A Trauma-Responsive Approach That Creates Accountability in Florida’s Dependency Drug Courts
Rachel Lively, PhD, Family Treatment Court Coordinator, Florida’s Fifteenth Judicial Circuit Family Treatment Court
Niki Tartal, MSW, Parent Advocate/Forensic Social Worker, Office of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel
Problem-solving courts use best practices to promote healing, recovery, and future success of the participants. Florida’s dependency drug court (DDC) teams should employ traumaresponsive, therapeutic, and non-adversarial strategies to promote success for parents and families affected by substance use disorders. The methods used in DDC, such as therapeutic evidence based treatments and frequent court hearings, help in the healing process for parents, children, and their entire families. Presenters will trace the use of trauma-focused, evidence-based practices to the success of these courts, distinguish between adversarial court proceedings and trauma-responsive processes, and illustrate how working with families with complex trauma can be very rewarding, if the right tools are used to promote healing for parents and permanency for children.
Location: Oceans 2
Justice and Wellness: Supporting Mental Health in the Community
Judge Ari Porth, Circuit Court Judge, 17th Judicial Circuit Mental Health Court
Rudolph Morel, JD, Retired General Magistrate & MD
Christine Glennen, Assistant Public Defender, Broward County Public Defender’s Office
Emma Lubin, Assistant State Attorney, State Attorney Office of Broward County
Jose Gonzalez, LMHC, Psy.D, Fellowship House
A panel including a problem-solving court judge, public defender, state attorney, magistrate and forensic psychologist will discuss how one jurisdiction processes individuals with mental illness entering the justice system. The panel will discuss the process for reviewing competency to proceed evaluations, treatment planning, case dismissals, status hearings and post-arrest diversion programs including mental health courts and drug courts. Each panelist will provide a comprehensive perspective on how they help individuals navigate the legal system while providing support and empathy.
Location: Oceans 3
Recovery Management: Leveraging Resources for Optimal Results
Laurie Johnson-Wade, Advanced Implementation Specialist (AIS), Opioid Response Network
This recovery management session utilizes a strengths-based approach to enhance the assessment of recovery capital, develop person-driven recovery plans, and support participants in their chosen recovery pathways. Designed for professionals working in support of substance use disorder (SUD) recovery, this training focuses on empowering clients by leveraging their unique strengths and resources. Attendees will gain skills in assessing recovery capital, crafting personalized recovery plans that reflect individual goals and preferences, and providing targeted support throughout the recovery process. The training combines theoretical insights with practical applications to ensure that attendees can effectively support their participants’ recovery journeys.
Location: Oceans 4
Targeting the Right Participants for Treatment Courts
Douglas Marlowe, JD, PhD, Senior Scientific Consultant, All Rise
In 2024, All Rise released the new second edition of the Adult Treatment Court Best Practice Standards. Standard I focuses on the most effective target population for treatment courts. This session will review the new targeting provisions, with a focus on describing new and expanded criteria for identifying high-risk and high-need persons who need to be in treatment court.
Location: Oceans 12
Using Data to Monitor and Evaluate Your Problem-Solving Court
Roger Peters, PhD, Emeritus Professor, Department of
Mental Health Law and Policy, University of South Florida
Kelly Steele, Director of Case Management, Ninth Judicial Circuit
Alina Stoothoff, Senior Court Operations Consultant for Problem-Solving Courts, Fifth Judicial Circuit
Program evaluation is an important component of effective program management. Problem-solving courts can use program evaluation to monitor adherence to best practice standards and progress toward achieving internal goals and objectives. But where do you start? In this session we will discuss basic components of data collection in support of effective program evaluation and how programs can use the information to monitor program operations and tell their story.
Location: Oceans 11
12:00 PM – 1:15 PM
Luncheon: Judge Steve Leifman, Keynote Speaker Judge Janeice Martin
Location: Oceans 5-8
1:15 PM - 1:30 PM
Break: Meet Companions for Courage!
1:30 PM – 2:45 PM
Breakout Session B
Effective Drug Testing in Treatment Courts: Best Practices and Innovations
West Huddleston, Former Long-Time NADCP CEO & Co-Founder, National Drug Court Institute, Principal and CEO, Crux Consulting
Judge Maria Elena Verde, Judge, 11th Judicial Circuit
Stephen Talpins, Chief Assistant State Attorney, State of Florida - 11th Judicial Circuit
This session will include an in-depth discussion on effective drug testing in problem-solving courts. It will cover various testing methods, their respective advantages and disadvantages, and best practices for implementation. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage with the panel through a Q&A session.
Location: Oceans 2
How Peer Specialists Improve Outcomes in Probation and Problem-Solving Courts
Judge Alicia L. Latimore, Circuit Court Judge, Ninth Judicial Circuit
Emil Caron, SUD Counselor & Peer Specialist, La Amistad Behavioral Health Services
Valori Oliver, Correctional Probation Supervisor, Florida Department of Corrections
This enlightening session will draw upon the expertise of three key individuals involved with the courts from different but related perspectives. Judge Alicia Latimore, Florida Ninth Judicial Circuit, Valori Oliver, Florida Department of Corrections Probation Supervisor, and Emil Caron, Certified Peer Support Specialist, La Amistad Behavioral Services, will present on the valuable involvement of peer specialists in problem-solving courts. They will explore the functions, opportunities, challenges, and other considerations in the use of peer specialists. In addition, they will address the integral role and workings of probation relative to peer specialists in problem-solving courts.
Location: Oceans 3
Incentives, Sanctions and Service Adjustments
Joe Lunievicz, MA, RYT, Project Director, All Rise
This presentation outlines the basic behavior modification principles and their applicability in keeping participants engaged in treatment court programs and moving toward long term recovery. It looks at how programs can use participant driven incentives to formulate a strategy of creative responses that are desirable to the participant and productive behaviors which give the participant an opportunity to be rewarded through positive and negative reinforcement. It identifies the importance of incentives, both formal and informal, and their application in the program. The presentation recognizes the effect of immediate consequences in modifying participant behavior.
Location: Oceans 4
Substance Use Disorders: A Survey of Neuroscience Treatment, and Recovery
Scott Luetgenau, BSW, MSW, LCAS, CSI, Founder, Gatespring
This presentation provides an overview of the current understanding of substance use disorders, highlighting key insights from neuroscience, evidence-based treatments, and recovery processes. Attendees will gain a broad perspective on how substances affect brain function and behavior, and how this knowledge informs contemporary approaches to treatment and recovery support. The session also will briefly explore the impact of stigma on individuals with substance use disorders and facilitate discussion around its mitigation. By synthesizing current research with practical implications, this presentation aims to foster a foundational understanding of substance use disorders applicable across various professional domains that inspire competent, compassionate care.
Location: Oceans 12
To Be or Not to Be: Marijuana in Problem-Solving Courts
Senator Jonathan Martin, Senator, The Florida Senate
Judge Josephine Gagliardi, Judge, Lee County
Tanya Smith, Director, TLS Consulting (THINK. LEARN. SUCCEED!)
Alina Stoothoff, Senior Court Operations Consultant for Problem-Solving Courts, Fifth Judicial Circuit
This session will cover recent updates and issues as to the use of marijuana by problem-solving court participants.These issues include: (1) updates on FDA approved marijuana studies; (2) the impact of the November referendum marijuana vote in Florida; (3) how current federal and state laws affect the use of marijuana in problem-solving courts; and (4) how some problem-solving courts and treatment providers in Florida are currently handling marijuana use by participants. Discussion to follow.
Location: Oceans 11
2:45 PM – 3:00 PM
Refreshment Break
Visit Exhibits and Meet Companions for Courage!
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Breakout Session C
Co-Occurring Substance Abuse and Mental Health Disorders & Clinical Assessments
Deborah Day, PhD, Licensed Psychologist, Psychological Affiliates
This session will explore the importance of clinical assessments, specifically as they relate to co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders. The presenter will identify critical characteristics of these assessments that will aid in successful teatment options for patients. She will also advise of deficiencies in some assessments and what to watch out for to avoid pitfalls. Lastly, the session will provide some guidance on addressing patients with co-occurring disorders.
Location: Oceans 3
Ending the Criminalization of Mental Illness - The Judge as Champion Judge Steve Leifman, Associate Administrative Judge, Eleventh Judicial Circuit, Miami-Dade County
It is estimated that more than two million arrests in the United States each year involve people with Serious Mental Illnesses (SMI) – half of which are homeless at the time of their arrest. As a result, untrained and unprepared stakeholders in the criminal justice system have been forced to navigate an increasingly scarce system of care for people with mental illnesses. Jails have become places where a disproportionate number of people with SMI spend significant amounts of time; their ties to the community severed, their treatment needs unmet, and their illnesses made worse. Judge Leifman will discuss his journey into the mental health system, the legal and medical history that led to America’s mental health crisis and the essential elements necessary to create an effective system of care that ultimately will transform the mental health and criminal justice systems and make jail the last option for people with SMI, not the first.
Location: Oceans 11
Post Incarceration: The Re-Entry Simulation
Joe Winkler, Assistant Secretary of Community Corrections, Florida Department of Corrections
The Florida Department of Corrections (DOC) will be conducting a Re-Entry Simulation presentation designed to provide attendees with a firsthand experience of the challenges faced by individuals re-entering society after incarceration. This interactive session, with the support of DOC team members, will immerse attendees in the complexities of navigating employment, housing, and social services, highlighting the barriers and frustrations that can impact successful reintegration. Through this simulation, session participants will gain a deeper understanding of the re-entry process, the importance of support systems, and the critical role that community partnerships play in reducing recidivism and promoting public safety.
Location: Oceans 10
“One Size Does Not Fit All” - Ensuring Appropriate Treatment For Specific Populations
Guy Wheeler, CEO, Guy A Wheeler Group PA
This session will explore the importance of ensuring that treatment is tailored to the participant in consideration of their culture and gender. It will educate the audience on the aspects of treatment that need to be adjusted based on the individual’s needs, and how such modifications will improve participant outcomes.
Location: Oceans 4
Strengthening Recovery: Relapse Prevention Strategies for Professionals
VonZell Wade, PhD, CCPT, LPC, Consultant, Opioid Response Network
This session is tailored for professionals in the helping field, including treatment providers and problem-solving courts. It will offer practical tools and strategies to support participants in their recovery journey. The session will cover the essential components of relapse prevention, including understanding triggers, building resilience, and creating effective support systems. Attendees will leave equipped with actionable insights to enhance their support services and promote sustained recovery among their participants.
Location: Oceans 12
4:00 PM – 4:15 PM
Break
Visit Exhibits
4:15 PM – 5:30 PM
Breakout Session D
Adolescent Substance Use Treatment: Impactful Engagement and Evidence-Based Practices
Scott Luetgenau, BSW, MSW, LCAS, CSI, Founder, Gatespring
This session focuses on effective engagement strategies and evidence-based treatment approaches for adolescents with substance use disorders, addressing the unique developmental, social, and clinical needs of this population. Through thought-provoking case studies and interactive discussions, attendees will explore techniques for building rapport, assessing risk, and tailoring interventions to meet adolescents’ individual needs and preferences. By examining evidence-based practices, attendees will gain insights into delivering comprehensive, developmentally appropriate care that promotes positive outcomes and supports long-term recovery. This session equips providers and others with the knowledge and skills to effectively engage adolescents in treatment, foster meaningful therapeutic relationships, and implement interventions that resonate with this distinct age group. Attendees will leave with a toolbox of strategies for creating a supportive, non-judgmental treatment environment that encourages adolescents to participate actively in their recovery journey.
Location: Oceans 2
Getting the Most Out of the Florida Drug Court Case Management System (FDCCMS)
Zuka Kadirova, Product Manager, ACT Innovations
Katie Seitz, Customer Success Manager, ACT Innovations
The Florida Drug Court Case Management System (FDCCMS) is a comprehensive web-based case management system that streamlines data collection and entry allowing problemsolving courts to efficiently manage their caseloads and monitor outcomes. As a dynamic case management system, the FDCCMS is constantly being enhanced to become more effective and efficient. This workshop will highlight the latest features and enhancements, preview an exciting new Dashboard experience, and explore ACT’s ambitious plans for the future of the FDCCMS. There will also be open dialogue to share your feedback with ACT.
Location: Oceans 3
Incentives, Sanctions and Service Adjustments
Joe Lunievicz, MA, RYT, Project Director, All Rise
This presentation outlines the basic behavior modification principles and their applicability in keeping participants engaged in treatment court programs and moving toward long term recovery. It looks at how programs can use participant driven incentives to formulate a strategy of creative responses that are desirable to the participant and productive behaviors which give the participant an opportunity to be rewarded through positive and negative reinforcement. It identifies the importance of incentives, both formal and informal, and their application in the program. The presentation recognizes the effect of immediate consequences in modifying participant behavior.
Location: Oceans 4
Restoring Hope and Purpose in the Justice-Involved Veteran Population
Matthew Ouren, Justice for Vets, Project Director, All Rise
Participants in a veterans treatment court or veterans treatment docket will often have multiple challenges that are both seen and unseen. As they propel towards program completion, each multidisciplinary team member’s relationship and approach to guiding and empowering them through these challenges will vary from team member to team member. However, what should not change is each team member’s intent to foster or restore a sense of hope, meaning-making, and purpose in the justice-involved veteran participant that extends far beyond the program’s length. This session will emphasize working with participants in a holistic manner that emboldens them in their everyday accomplishments while at the same time encouraging them to lead a purposeful life. The session will explore skills that team members can use to assist them when working with participants that may result in the individual practicing or developing behaviors that positively influence their quality-of-life choices in the present and future.
Location: Oceans 12
Role of the Team Members: Staying in Your Lane
Carolyn Hardin, MPA, Chief of Training and Research, All Rise
This session outlines the basic concepts of team development. It offers interactive exercises to demonstrate the different learning styles of team members. This presentation introduces the roles for each team member and explains why to hold a pre-case conference and what can be discussed during that meeting.
Location: Oceans 11
Friday, December 13, 2024
7:00 AM – 8:00 AM
Early Bird Breakfast & Door Prizes
Location: Oceans 5-8
7:00 AM – 12:45 PM
Registration Check In
Location: Oceans 5-8 Foyer
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM
Discipline Breakouts
Peer Specialists/Mentors
Location: Oceans 1
Community Supervision/Law Enforcement
Location: Oceans 2
Court Coordinators/ Administrators/ Case Managers
Location: Oceans 3
Defense Counsel
Location: Oceans 4
Judges and Magistrates
Location: Oceans 10
State Attorneys
Location: Oceans 12
Treatment/Service Providers
Location: Oceans 11
9:00 AM – 9:15 AM
Break
9:15 AM – 10:15 AM
Breakout Session E
Effective Communication and Interaction in the Mental Health Court Setting
Lt. Leslie Weidenhammer, Lieutenant, Collier County Sheriff’s Office - Behavioral Health Bureau
The non-treatment team members on a Mental Health Court (MHC) team generally lack the training needed to feel at ease when speaking and interacting with a person who has a serious and persistent mental health disorder, particularly if that person might be in crisis, or nearing crisis. While this course won’t get you your M.S.W., it will give you specific, immediately deployable techniques and skills to use in order to fulfill your role in your MHC more safely and more effectively. Better outcomes for the client and for the whole MHC depend upon all team members having these skills and using them.
Location: Oceans 3
Following the Yellow Brick Road”: Practical Advice for Seeking Adult Drug Court Certification
Judge Melanie May, Appellate Court Judge, Fourth District Court of Appeal
Kelly Steele, Director of Case Management, Ninth Judicial Circuit
Jennifer Sears, Senior Court Operations Consultant, Office of Problem-Solving Courts, Office of the State Courts Administrator
Alina Stoothoff, Senior Court Operations Consultation for Problem-Solving Courts, Fifth Judicial Circuit
This session will focus on the Problem-Solving Court Certification Program as adopted by the Florida Supreme Court in Administrative Order AOSC23-89. Join us to discuss the basic structure of the certification program and what certification means for your adult drug court. Up-to-date information will be provided on problems and solutions identified in the Problem- Solving Court Certification Pilot Program. Hear from problemsolving court coordinators and OSCA staff who have been there and done that!
Location: Oceans 2
Leveraging Aspects of Military Culture to Enhance Veterans Treatment Court Participant Outcomes
Scott Tirocchi, MA, MS, Justice for Vets, Division Director, All Rise
Military service has a unique and long-lasting impact on currentand former service members. For those that become justice involved, the learned cultural values, ethics, and standards applied during their service can be leveraged with the participant by the Veteran Treatment Court (VTC) Team in a manner and context that will benefit the participant, the participant’s immediate support network, and the overall community.
Location: Oceans 4
Relativity is for Physics, Not Ethics
William Meyer, Retired Judge/Sr. Judicial Fellow, Judicial Arbiter Group, Inc./Treatment Court Institute
In this interactive session, participants and presenter will discuss various ethical issues that arise in problem-solving courts. Using a responder system, participants are presented with ethical issues, which they then analyze and vote on - choosing the appropriate response. The Canons of Judicial Conduct, ethics opinions and case law are discussed in light of the votes.
Location: Oceans 12
Trauma Responsiveness: Therapeutic Approaches that Work for Problem-Solving Courts
Judge Alicia L. Latimore, Circuit Court Judge, Ninth Judicial Circuit
Kimberly Renk, PhD., Licensed Psychologist, Professor, University of Central Florida
Trauma is an increasing concern in problem-solving courts as more children, young adults and families experience the negative and often life-long effects of trauma prior to entering the court system. New approaches are needed to achieve better outcomes for those affected. A range of techniques and approaches have proven effective in working with trauma- affected individuals and groups. This session will provide an overview of the unique trauma-responsive elements of problem-solving courts that contribute to participants’ success and reduce re-traumatization.
The presenters will describe how to apply the unique traumaresponsive elements of problem-solving courts that contribute to success and reduce re-traumatization. The session will illustrate therapeutic approaches using evidence-based services, and how they tie-in with problem-solving court best practices.
Location: Oceans 11
10:15 AM – 10:30 AM
Break
10:30 AM – 11:25 AM
Creating Your A-Team: A Lesson in Teambuilding
Deborah Day, PhD, Licensed Psychologist, Psychological Affiliates
In this interactive session, the presenter will discuss the dynamics of teambuilding. The importance of vigilance in maintaining a collegial enviroment for the team will be explained. Attendees will participate in a teambuilding exercise.
Location: Oceans 5-8
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Rethinking Phases
Carolyn Hardin, MPA, Chief of Training and Research, All Rise Before a person can achieve long-term recovery, they must be able to envision it. In this session, attendees will learn how to dare your treatment court participants to dream for their future. Conference attendees will discover how to reimagine program phases so that as clients progress, each phase helps them learn new skills to identify assets and build personal, social, and community recovery capital.
Location: Oceans 5-8
12:30 PM – 12:45 PM
Closing Session with Prizes