WATCP’s state conference will recognize 30 years of treatment courts in Wisconsin

Despite looming budget cuts, treatment courts have become more important than ever in Wisconsin’s fight against substance abuse

February 2, 2026 – What was once Dane County’s innovative new approach to drug-involved crime has grown to become an increasingly vital part of Wisconsin’s criminal justice system. It’s been thirty years since that inception of Wisconsin’s first treatment court. With over 105 similar courts now operating statewide, each experiencing statistics like 83% fewer overdose deaths and 3 out of 4 graduates remaining arrest free, treatment-court models aren’t just a generally accepted practice, they have become a primary tool in Wisconsin’s fight against addiction and substance abuse.

The Wisconsin Association of Treatment Court Professionals (WATCP), founded in 2004 and now roughly 650 members strong, is comprised of Judges, Public Defenders, Prosecutors, Law Enforcement, Corrections Officials, Treatment Providers, and Coordinators—each representing programs like Adult Drug Courts, OWI Courts, Veterans Courts, Mental Health Courts, Family Courts, and Tribal Healing-to Wellness Courts. As membership gathers at the Kalahari Resort and Conference Center this April 22-24 for training and collaboration, they’ll reflect on the last thirty years of progress throughout the state, and what the next thirty may bring.

Conference attendees will enjoy hearing past treatment-court graduates speak about their experiences, as well as presentations from nationally recognized speakers on treatment court topics. But new this year, a bipartisan listening panel of legislators from throughout Wisconsin is on the agenda, something Executive Director Jodi Severson hopes will spark a larger conversation on the importance of treatment court programs.

“Mental health and substance use are inextricably intertwined, touching all of us in one way or another. Treatment courts bring the entire criminal justice system together to address substance use and mental health issues through collaboration and evidence-based practices,” says Severson.

“When traditional approaches have failed, treatment courts found a better way—one that changes lives, strengthens families, saves taxpayer money, and improves public safety. I have had the privilege of working with WATCP for the past 15 years of my almost 40 years working in the criminal justice system. I can honestly say this is one the most effective justice initiatives I’ve seen.”

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WATCP was founded in 2004 to advance evidence-based justice solutions in Wisconsin’s ever-growing treatment court movement through education, advocacy, and support. Today the non-profit organization represents more than 105 treatment courts of eight distinct types, which serve 61 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties and five Tribal Nations. For more information on treatment courts in Wisconsin or to make your own tax-deductible donation to WATCP, visit  www.watcp.org or email admin@watcp.org.

For interview requests, please contact Jodi Severson at admin@watcp.org.