The courtroom, says Jones, can be a scary, confusing place where you’re left unsure of what to do or say. Thanks to Thrive, however, “for the first time these families can tell us what they need and we can support them in creating that.”

Family Recovery Court works to reunite families. It does so by providing parents the necessary services to navigate both their personal treatment journey and the legal system’s dependency process. One of the best ways to succeed—in court, as in life—is by creating a strong, healthy community of support and accountability.

Locally, Michael Rihtarich takes the idea of community one step further. Leaning into his Native American heritage, he recently celebrated a session’s completion with a special touch for one tribal graduate of the FRC program.

It’s estimated that as many as one in three veterans experience mental health challenges. At the Strophy Foundation, these realities are met with understanding—and action.

In 2009, the Foundation helped establish a critical pathway of support through the Mental Health and Veterans Court Program (MHVC)—a program rooted in compassion, accountability, and long-term stability.

In April 2007, Judge Indu Thomas was assigned to preside over the Family Recovery Court and Juvenile Drug Court programs as a new Court Commissioner. At the time, the Strophy Foundation supported the Adult Drug Court but not the family and juvenile programs. Recognizing the impact of those courts, Thomas and Judge Paula Casey approached the Foundation’s board with a vision to expand its reach. The bylaws were soon updated—an early step that would shape nearly two decades of collaboration.

Thanks to Thurston County’s therapeutic courts—and the support of the Strophy Foundation—that cycle can pause or even end altogether. Instead of facing felony arrest, charging, and a jury trial, Drug Court participants have their cases put on hold. Drug Court, which Judge Mary Sue Wilson explains is a pre-trial diversion program, allows the legal process to pause as long as participants meet all program requirements. Upon graduation, the prosecutor dismisses their conviction.

Once struggling with addiction and homelessness, Cortney Candelaria turned her life around through Thurston County’s Drug Court and support from the Strophy Foundation. Now a graduate, she’s paying it forward—mentoring others on their own path to recovery and stability.

Today’s therapeutic drug courts are built on a different philosophy. “It’s a recognition that we can do more together to rehabilitate the person—to help them become a good friend, partner, and employee again,” he explains. “Drug court is a more personalized, less formal approach aimed at the root problem. Creating courts directed at substance use disorder was a paradigm shift in the legal system.”

Judge Buckley has served as the judge for Thurston County’s Mental Health Court for the past 18 years, building on the foundation laid by Judge Kip Stilz when the program began 20 years ago. He also presides over Veterans Court, the first of its kind in Washington State, which he has led since it launched 16 years ago. His decades of experience have made him a trusted advisor to the Strophy Foundation, offering programming insight and guidance to its founders and board members from the very beginning.

"At first, I just wanted to avoid prison," says Mindi Bowman, reflecting on her decision to enter Thurston County's Drug Court. "But the program gave me something I didn’t expect—a whole new way to live." Now, 11 years sober, she helps others on the same path, proving that recovery is possible. "You don’t have to believe in it at first," she says. "Just start. Because somewhere along the way, it might just change your life."

Thrive previously known as Safe Babies Court is an Early Childhood Therapeutic Intervention court program that works to protect infants and toddlers and set up families for long term success.  To be eligible a family must have a child under three. The program helps parents learn the skills needed to raise their child or children while juggling other court-ordered services.. By breaking cycles of abuse/neglect and/or other challenges, Thrive looks to give these families the support they need for a fresh start.

Breaking the Cycle: Clayton Musgrove's Journey from Generational Patterns to Personal Triumph

Making a complete and total change in life is never easy…and often quite scary. Especially because we seldom uproot ourselves when things are going smoothly. But large-scale transitions are one way to break out of harmful habits, lifestyles, and routines to truly start a new life. For Angela Turner, the catalyst for hope was finally getting clean and sober on October 27, 2017.