Benton County, WA Therapeutic Courts

05/08/2026

The Benton County Therapeutic Courts team joined the Franklin County and Grant County Therapeutic Courts teams in Moses Lake yesterday for a discussion with Ryan Leaf on what we are doing to eliminate stigma and generate hope while addressing mental illness and substance use disorders in our communities. It was a great day! We love these collaborative relationships we have with our neighboring counties.
Thank you for sharing your experiences and perspectives with us Ryan. Keep up the great work!

05/02/2026

Our Veterans Court team attended the Columbia Basin Veterans Center Stand With Us Gala last night where our own Judge Kathren was honored with a special award recognizing his dedication to justice, steadfast leadership of the Veterans Therapeutic Court, and unwavering compassion and support for the rehabilitation of those who have served our nation. Thank you Judge Kathren!
The Veterans Court could not provide these services without the direct support of the Veterans Center and its mentor program. We are so grateful for all they do for our community and cherish our long standing relationship with them.

04/23/2026

Today we celebrate something truly powerful… Growth, resilience, and transformation.

We had the privilege of honoring four incredible individuals as they graduated from Recovery Court today. While each of their journeys was unique, they all shared a common thread: the courage to change, the commitment to grow, and the determination to build a better future.

Over the course of this program, we witnessed not just progress but true transformation. These graduates showed up, did the hard work, and proved that lasting change is possible with support, accountability, and perseverance.

Recovery isn’t easy, but today is proof that it is worth it.

Please join us in congratulating these four graduates on this incredible milestone. Your strength inspires us all, and we are proud to be part of your journey.

04/22/2026

April has been a great month for graduations so far and today’s Veterans Court graduation didn’t disappoint! So proud of these two gentlemen who surrendered themselves to the program and made tremendous strides along the way. This program wouldn’t be what it is without our veteran mentors! Thank you Columbia Basin Veterans Center! And thank you Apple Valley News Now for coming to cover our celebration!

The Brief

04/17/2026

Today represents a monumental leap forward for our community! The Therapeutic Court team had the honor of attending the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Columbia Valley Center for Recovery this morning.

This new facility will create the access to critical treatment and recovery services that our community needs to provide more opportunities for individuals to find stability, healing, and hope. This center strengthens the foundation of support available across our region.

We are proud to stand alongside our community partners in celebrating this milestone and look forward to the positive impact it will have for generations to come. Together, we are building stronger pathways to recovery and a healthier community for all.

04/17/2026

Today is the big day!!! ❤️❤️❤️

04/14/2026

Thank you Chief Guerrero! It was both an honor and privilege to have you come talk to our Veterans Court participants, court staff, and mentors at the monthly Veterans Forum last week. Your words rang true and resonated for so many people in that room. Your humility and ability to learn as you grow makes you a man of the people and our community is a better, safer place due in large part to your steady leadership. Thank you again, Chris, for your continued support of our programs.
We also want to thank our Mentor Coordinator, Steve Lehto and the Columbia Basin Veterans Center for hosting these monthly forums, The Village Bistro for the food, and Bethel Church for the space to meet.

04/09/2026

Ten years ago, Benton County joined a growing movement across the Nation. One that recognized jails were never designed to be mental health facilities, and that lasting change requires treatment, structure, accountability, and support.
April 6, 2016 Benton County Mental Health Court held its first docket with 10 participants. While it was modest in size, it was ambitions in its purpose. Today not only marked our 10th anniversary, but also our 200th graduate!
These graduations represent more than numbers or individual successes. They create a ripple effect strengthening families, neighborhoods, and our community.
Today's graduates are no exception as they are already creating ripples by giving back to our community and we can't wait to see what their next chapter brings. Congratulations Chevelle, Tyler, and Jami! We're so proud of you!
We would like to thank all of our law enforcement partners, treatment providers, local leadership, and our community for believing in redemption and trusting a different approach to dealing with mental illnesses.

03/20/2026

This morning, we had the honor of attending the Blue Mountain Council Leadership Breakfast, where our very own Tom Mattis was recognized with the North Star Leadership Award for his selfless service to others in our community.

Tom played a pivotal role in establishing our Veterans Court program and continued his impact as the Mentor Coordinator until stepping down in 2022.

Thank you, Tom, for your unwavering dedication to our Veterans and the community, we are grateful for all that you’ve done!

03/17/2026

🚨Attention community partners! 🚨 The Institute for Individual and Organizational Change is offering an IN PERSON Trauma Informed Motivational Interviewing training on May 19-20 at the new Columbia Valley Center for Recovery. Seats are limited! Details on the flyer.