Wisconsin Association of Treatment Court Professionals (WATCP), an organization comprising more than 600 members over more than 100 statewide treatment courts, has released a position statement on the impact of recent federal funding cuts to Wisconsin’s treatment courts.
“It is well established that Treatment Courts are the nation’s most effective criminal justice alternative in reducing recidivism by high risk/ high need justice impacted individuals who suffer from mental health and/or substance use disorders. Since 1996, Wisconsin’s treatment courts have expanded to more than 105 courts serving 61 counties and five tribal nations. In almost 30 years, these courts have reduced substance abuse and crime, saved lives, reunited families, saved taxpayer money, and are making communities safer across the state. While many of these courts, are now supported by local and state funds, almost all were initially funded by state or federal grants. Even mature programs still rely on grant funding to provide incentives, transportation, health care, employment and vocational training, and other complimentary services critical to their operation and to the success of participants.
“As the name implies, treatment courts require justice- involved people to connect with and participate in treatment. As such, these courts rely on hundreds of skilled providers at the state and federal level to deliver treatment and other services that hold participants accountable, and inform the court on their progress. For many participants, these services are funded by county human services agencies (DHS) and Medicaid. In an April 28, 2025 report by DHS, Wisconsin Medicaid Director Bill Hanna stated, “Wisconsin’s Medicaid program is an essential part of our state’s health care and public health systems and economy. Simply put, we can’t have a healthy and strong Wisconsin without a healthy and strong Medicaid program. Massive cuts like those proposed by Congress would put our people, our health care system, and our economy at risk.”1
“Treatment courts retain the title of “the most effective criminal justice alternative”, through 30 years of data collection, research studies and extensive use of best practices. This ongoing research and extensive training of those serving on treatment courts, much of which is funded by grants administered by federal agencies through technical assistance grants. In the May, 2025 DOJ Funding Update: A Deeper Look at the Cuts, the 373 terminated grants from the DOJ’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) by the current Administration ended $819.7 million dollars in funding to programs that supported, among other programs, substance use and mental health treatment, correction and reentry programs, justice system enhancements, research and evaluation and other state and local level public safety functions. The deepest cuts were “to organizations that provide training and technical assistance to OJP grantees and the field at large.” The National Center for State Courts (NCSC) that annually provides national trainers at WATCP’s state conferences that trains upwards of 700 criminal justice professionals serving on WI treatment courts, lost $3.9 million dollars of funding. Likewise, Milwaukee County lost $3.2 million dollars in justice program funding through federal grants, and cuts to research on Opioid addiction, substance use disorder, mental health treatment, and efficacy of reentry programs suffered a $6.7 million dollar cuts. (Justice, May, 2025). Thus, reductions in staffing, grants, and treatment funds resulting from these and other recent policy changes at the federal level will have a direct and negative impact on the success of treatment courts and the safety of our communities. As Wisconsin’s only advocacy organization for treatment courts, WATCP strongly supports continued robust funding for treatment, justice related grants, and the professionals who work with justice impacted persons. State and local governments cannot make up for the loss of federal funds and services. Without this all important funding, the “third leg” the stool will topple, and Wisconsin communities will all suffer for it.”
The statement is signed by WATCP Executive Director Jodi Severson and Board President Amanda Parlow. The full statement with citations can be found here:
WATCP POSITION STATEMENT – Impact of Federal Funding Cuts to Wisconsin Treatment Courts
