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An Interview with the WATCP

In this episode, Justice Speaks starts a new series about State Treatment Court Associations.  This episode is sponsored by Reconnect.  In this episode, we interview Kimberly Kitzberger and Liesl Nelson who represent the Wisconsin Association of Treatment Court Professionals (WATCP).

In the Beginning

Ms. Kitzberger is the current president of WATCP. She is a therapist and a former court coordinator for a Treatment Court.  Ms. Nelson is a criminal defense attorney and a former President of WATCP who has been involved with the association since its beginning.

During the interview, Ms. Nelson explains that WATCP received its impetus when the National Association of Drug Court Professionals held its annual conference in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. As a result of that national conference, a decision was made to create a state association. She goes on to describe the first state conference of about forty people and the initial board of directors that developed from that conference.  Ms. Nelson also discusses the unique acceptance of the Wisconsin public defenders into the Treatment Court concept.  

The Growth of the WATCP

Ms. Kitzberger, then talks about how WATCP has grown, now hosting two conference events each year.  The first, is their annual educational conference that hosts over seven hundred attendees.  The second, is a fall training that is only open to Treatment Court coordinators.  This second conference covers materials on the operation of Treatment Courts including budgeting and grant opportunities.

Ms. Nelson then describes how membership in the association happens.  She notes that Wisconsin Treatment Courts are more of a bottom-up creation then perhaps is true for other states.  She emphasizes that this created a need for high-value and low-cost Drug Treatment Court education.  Ms. Kitzberger explains how WATCP is providing that education. She also conveys how WATCP engages in lobbying to improve Wisconsin’s laws.  We go on to discuss the WATCP.org website and their quarterly newsletters.

WATCP’s Accomplishments and Challenges

Ms. Nelson talks about what she believes is WATCP’s greatest accomplishment, creating a Wisconsin specific set of Treatment Court Standards. These standards are published on their website and are incorporated into Wisconsin training programs.

Ms. Kitzberger then talks about one of the greatest challenges facing WATCP, that because of its growth, it has created the need for an Executive Director.

Finally, Ms. Nelson talks about the future of the association and how they plan on meeting the needs of the Wisconsin Treatment Courts.

We wish to thank Ms. Kitzberger and Ms. Nelson for sharing their unique experiences with WATCP and how it is changing criminal justice in Wisconsin.  We also wish to thank Reconnect for sponsoring this podcast episode.

Additional Resource

You can also watch this interview by going to the Justice Speakers Institutes’ YouTube Channel or by clicking here.