Nebraska Chief Justice Michael G. Heavican held a proclamation signing ceremony announcing Nebraska Problem-Solving Court Month on behalf of the State Judicial Branch on Thursday, May 6, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. The ceremony was streamed live from the State Capitol out of respect for social distancing.

The month of May is nationally identified as Drug Court Month. With the diverse programming offered through Nebraska courts, it was appropriate to recognize the efforts of all of Nebraska’s problem-solving courts by proclaiming May as Problem-Solving Court Month. Heavican issued the proclamation announcing the significance of Nebraska’s system of problem-solving courts and urged all citizens – particularly those within the legal community – to take note of the occasion.

As part of the proclamation ceremony, a Nebraska Drug Court graduate, Heidi Webb, spoke about her experience in drug court and the success she has experienced since graduating from the program. She now works as a peer support specialist for current participants with the same drug court team that supported her as a participant. Heavican praised the work of all the individuals involved in making problem-solving courts successful in Nebraska and the hard work the problem-solving court participants are doing to improve their lives and their communities.

Problem-solving courts, which operate through the Nebraska Judicial Branch, are innovative court programs that combine intensive community-based supervision, judicial accountability, and behavioral health treatment to intervene against crime by addressing circumstances underlying criminal conduct. Judges, defense attorneys, prosecutors, supervision personnel, law enforcement, treatment providers, researchers, educators, and others dedicated to problem-solving courts work collaboratively to improve the lives of their participants and strengthen communities across the state.