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May is National Treatment Court Month
may national drug court month
Sgt. Nicole Grace (Green Co. Sheriff’s Office), Attorney Jane Smith (State Public Defender’s Office), Brenda Albertson (Addiction Counselor), Judge Faun Phillipson, Whitney Flood (Treatment Court Coordinator), Madison Bezik (Recovery Coach), Anna Cheeseman (Dept. of Corrections, Probation & Parole), Assistant District Attorney Aimee Von Arx Gilson, Officer Scott Fields (Monroe Police Dept.) Not Pictured: Kristina Lee (Substance Use Disorder Counselor), Jeb Searls (Probation & Parole Supervisor), Robert Gibson (AODA Supervisor, Green County Human Services)

By Judge Faun Phillipson and Whitney Flood


MONROE — Green County’s Adult Drug Court was established in 2017. The program has since expanded to accept clients with alcohol-related offenses, and is now known as Green County Adult Hybrid Treatment Court (or “Treatment Court,” for short). The target population includes adult residents of Green County with substance use disorder issues related to their criminal charges. Since inception, 37 participants have successfully completed our Treatment Court.

Participation in the program is voluntary, and the responsibilities and obligations of the participants are substantial. Each participant is referred to the Treatment Court Coordinator and is assigned a Department of Corrections agent for case planning and monitoring accountability. Green County Treatment Court is a highly-structured program with five phases. Each phase consists of specific requirements for transition into the next phase. The components of each phase include judicial interaction, supervision, AODA and mental health counseling, case management, individual and group counseling, homework, drug and alcohol testing, and community service. 

The goal is to enhance public safety by reducing repeat drug and alcohol-related offenses through evidence-based treatment, counseling and services, combined with requirements of legal accountability and pro-social community involvement. According to the Treatment and Diversion (“TAD”) Program 2019-2023 Participant Summary, Post-Program Recidivism & Cost-Benefit Analysis prepared by the Bureau of Justice Information and Analysis at the Wisconsin Department of Justice, “for every $1 spent in TAD funding on treatment courts, between $5.15 and $5.92 is saved.”

Treatment Court is held every Wednesday at the Green County Justice Center, in the Branch 1 Courtroom from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. We currently have 14 participants, with two more awaiting their start dates. The Treatment Court team consists of the Green County Human Services AODA Supervisor, Treatment Court Coordinator, AODA Counselors, Recovery Coach, Department of Corrections — Probation & Parole, Monroe Police Department, Green County Sheriff’s Office, Treatment Court Judge, and counsel from both the Office of the State Public Defender and District Attorney’s Office.