Healing Our Future: Cultural Youth Justice Program
Sokaogon Chippewa Community Tribe
7/1/2025-6/30/2026
The Sokaogon Chippewa Community will launch a culturally grounded youth support initiative aimed at reducing juvenile justice involvement among Native youth in Forest County. This community-based program addresses trauma, substance use, and disconnection from identity by providing weekly mentoring rooted in Anishinaabe teachings, biweekly trauma-informed therapy, and monthly family support activities. Youth will participate in cultural arts, land-based education, and elder storytelling nights--all designed to foster healing, resilience, and a strong sense of belonging. Services prioritize youth at risk of entering or reentering the justice system, offering them alternatives to detention and punitive discipline. Programming will be delivered at the tribal youth center and coordinated with local schools, tribal law enforcement, courts, and health providers. This initiative supports individual wellness and strengthens family and community bonds, creating an environment where Native youth feel seen, supported, and empowered to thrive.
Providing Protection Project
Forest County Potawatomi Community
4/1/2023-6/30/2025
The Forest County Potawatomi Community (FCPC) Community Center will use funding to expand at-risk youth cultural protective factors. This will be accomplished through the delivery of regalia and drum making classes, traditional dancing and drumming classes, and opportunities to experience other Tribal cultures. The Providing Protection Project will strengthen protective factors by expanding and exposing youth to new cultural opportunities, while instilling a strong sense of identity in the youth through Potawatomi culture and traditions, ultimately decreasing juvenile delinquency. The program will interactively connect youth with traditional knowledge holders, and provide immersive hands-on experiences. The goal is to increase cultural protective opportunities and encourage active participation in these events. It will also stimulate youth to push past their self-imposed limitations. Youth benefits include a sense of belonging, strong identity, healthy purpose, and regular exposure to healthy role models in a safe environment.
Treatment Level Placement for Tribal Youth
Forest County Potawatomi Community
1/1/2021-9/30/2021
Forest County Potawatomi Community (FCPC) will be implementing the "Treatment Level Placement for Tribal Youth" assistance project to help Tribal youth who are in need of residential or specialized out-of-home placement and treatment services. This will provide a safe alternative to juvenile detention or incarceration and ensure that this vulnerable segment of FCPC’s population has access to the resources that will foster healing and recovery. Additionally, it will improve the area’s juvenile justice system efforts by reducing the number of detained juveniles and provide youth with the counseling, structure, and rehabilitation support necessary to reduce recidivism and build a healthy future.