Artificial intelligence is already shaping how treatment courts make decisions— from screening and admission to monitoring, sanctions, incentives, and compliance reviews. Yet many programs struggle to distinguish reliable, evidence-based tools from untested or opaque systems. JSI Associate Judge Gayle Williams-Byers will explain how AI affects core treatment-court practices, including risk/need assessments, drug testing, digital supervision, and clinical evaluations. It provides a clear frame-work for applying Frye, Daubert, and Rule 702 to AI-generated information, protecting due-process rights, and avoiding automation bias in team decisions. Participants will learn how to evaluate AI tools responsibly and implement the key guardrails that keep treatment courts fair, transparent, and participant-centered.

Objectives:

Identify how AI currently influences screening, risk/need assessments, clinical evaluations, participant monitoring, sanctions/incentives decisions, and compliance reporting in treatment courts.

Apply Frye, Daubert, and Rule 702 standards to AI-generated or AI-enhanced evidence used during status hearings, violation proceedings, or termination decisions.

Implement the “Five Guardrails for Treatment Courts” to ensure transparency, fairness, therapeu’c engagement, and responsible adoption of AI-enabled technologies. 

Each year, millions of individuals engage with courts across America as witness-es, victims, and offenders. In the pursuit of justice, these often-vulnerable participants are frequently overlooked, with little recognition of the unique perspectives and circumstances they bring to the process. Unfortunately, their in-court experiences often result in additional trauma rather than meaningful case resolution. JSI Associate Judge Gayle Williams-Byers will immerse judges with education that is designed to improve their understanding and skill in handling sensitive cases where children are witnesses, victims and even offenders. Additionally, participants will be able to better appreciate the importance of treating cases involving youth with sensitivity and seriousness with an eye toward avoiding additional or further trauma.

Objectives:

Identify and review SAMHSA’s six key principles of a trauma-informed approach to creating a trusting courtroom environment;

Address potential ethical challenges to providing a sensitized trauma informed court-room environment, and;

Create practical elements for easy courtroom implementation designed to lessen the traumatic experience of children participants. 

JSI Vice President Chief Cynthia Herriott (Ret.) will explore the essential dynamics and expectations of Mental Health Court teams, emphasizing how they differ from traditional drug court models. Drawing from real-world experiences and guided by the All Rise standards, participants will gain practical insights into how to navigate the complexities unique to mental health courts. The session will conclude with an open discussion where attendees can share and problem-solve unusual situa-tions from their own courts.

Objectives:

Identify the unique roles and responsibilities of Mental Health Court team members and how these differ from Drug Court teams.

Distinguish between the functions, strengths, and appropriate stages of involvement for case managers and counselors within the participant’s recovery journey.

Develop strategies for addressing role overlap, unexpected challenges, and unusual situa-tions in a respectful and solution-focused manner. 

Danette Montoya

Those individuals who develop substance use disorders are also diagnosed with mental health disorders. Treatment and understanding of this subpopulation can be attained by clinical or systems-related interventions. One of the ways of intervening at the systems level is to provide wrap around services for those who struggle with mental health issues. At a clinical level, it is necessary to have an understanding on how to treat substance use disorder and co-occur-ring disorders simultaneously. JSI Associate Danette Montoya will provide a better understanding of how mental health and substance use link together and how to best treat this population so that they can achieve treatment.

Objectives:

Describe the link between mental health, substance use disorder, and co-occurring disorders.

Identify at least four reasons why it is important to understand this high-risk subgroup.

Recognize at least three treatments that are successful in treating this population. 

Law enforcement officers are essential partners in treatment court success, yet most receive little preparation for the role. JSI Vice President Chief Cynthia Herriott (Ret.) will equip law enforcement personnel with practical strate-gies for shifting from adversarial enforcer to collaborative team member. It will also provide treatment courts with tools to invite greater law enforcement involvement. Participants will leave with concrete tools for communication, referral, and shared accountability within the treatment court model.

Objectives:

Identify the law enforcement officer’s role within the treatment court team structure;

Describe communication and referral protocols that strengthen court/law enforcement collaboration; and,

Develop strategies for sustaining law enforcement engagement across the life of a treat-ment court case.