Friends of the Milwaukee County Treatment Courts

Our Mission
The mission of Friends of
the Milwaukee County Treatment Courts, Inc. (“Friends of Treatment Courts”) is
to support the life-changing work of the Milwaukee County treatment courts by
increasing awareness and support of them through community partnering and
outreach, maintaining a network of treatment court alumni, serving in an
advisory capacity to the treatment courts, and raising funds to enhance the
treatment court programs.

Adult Drug Treatment Court

Enhancing public safety through the reduction of recidivism by coordinating effective & accountable substance abuse treatment & supportive services for offenders with substance abuse problems.

Adriana Trevino

Adriana.trevino@wicourts.gov

Adult Drug Treatment Court
Coordinator

Veterans Treatment Court

Successfully habilitating Veterans in recognition of their service to our country and the challenges it may present to them and their families by diverting them from the traditional criminal justice system and using evidence based practices to provide them with the tools and resources they will need to lead a productive and law-abiding life.

Jake Patten

Jacob.patten@wicourts.gov

Veterans Treatment Court Coordinator

Mental Health Treatment Court

The Mental Health Treatment Court program enhances public safety and reduces recidivism of those who suffer from serious or severe and persistent mental illness. MHTC connects participants with evidence-based mental health treatment and supportive services in the community and finds appropriate dispositions to criminal charges with consideration of the participant’s mental illness and the seriousness of the offense. MHTC provides structure and accountability to the delivery of treatment, medication management, social support services and criminal justice services.

Courtney Brooks

Courtney.brooks@wicourts.gov

Mental Health Treatment Court Coordinator

Family Drug Treatment Court

Through collaboration, with accountability and enhanced access to treatment services, the FDTC improves the safety, well-being and permanence for children, supports the recovery of their parents from alcohol and drug dependence, and enhances the functioning of the family.

Rebecca Foley-Cramer

Rebecca.foley@wicourts.gov

Family Drug Treatment Court Coordinator

Healthy Infant Court

The Healthy Infant Court puts infants at the center of the court process, engaging parents and other collaborative partners to focus on early child development and social and emotional health, while ensuring positive relationships and access to quality services.

Christine Mochel

Christine.mochel@wicourts.gov

Healthy Infant Treatment Court Coordinator

Board Member

Dr. Willie Gregory, President

Dr. Willie Gregory practices innovative forms of communication which connects employers and job seekers to existing trends – holistically. Born and raised on the South Side of Chicago, Willie entered the US Army after high school. It was here that the values of duty, honor and brotherhood (sisterhood) gave root. Internalizing and expanding on this principle, Willie embraced these bonds from a humanistic perspective and began to strategize change…
Upon finishing his tour of duty in the Military and returning home to Chicago, he realized he had outgrown his surroundings & embraced the need for a geographic move. Willie then ventured to the Pacific NW, entered the Workforce Development Industry and effectively served for the next 20+ years in 3 different state governments. Service that culminated defined, work experiences as a direct result of what is traditionally viewed as failure (on-ramps to humility).
While on this journey, it became apparent that the system (workforce development industry) was broken for it failed to meet the economic needs of constituents as originally designed. Desiring to impact change from within, Willie achieved the ultimate, academic measurement of excellence via his Doctoral Degree in Transformational Leadership (Bakke Graduate University) in June 2019 (1st tier).
In November 2022, aXcess incorporated gave birth as a 501c3 (2nd tier) and the work of optimal customer service from a faith-based perspective – began.

Shakita LaGrant-McClain, Secretary

Shakita LaGrant-McClain oversees all aspects of Milwaukee County’s largest department with a nearly $400 million budget, approximately 900 employees, serving 80,000 residents annually. She supervises multiple service areas including Aging and Disabilities Services, Behavioral Health Services, Housing Services, Management Services, and Veterans’ Services. She’s a champion of a No Wrong Door model of service delivery, to improve racial and health equity, and serve Milwaukee County residents across their lifespan regardless of race, gender, age, or socio-economic status. LaGrant-McClain is a demonstrated leader who is dedicated to maximizing organizational performance and leveraging DHHS to influence the human services ecosystem and positively impact social determinants of health. Her success as a leader includes investing in staff training and development, delivering high quality customer service, and transforming human service delivery to a person-centered approach. LaGrant-McClain is a compassionate and committed community leader who leads by example drawing from personal experience. She is a highly effective executive with the ability to bring energy and enthusiasm to monumental tasks, motivating a large team of professionals to reach lofty goals. Her focus is on delivering human services with high quality customer service. She has demonstrated success with organizational performance, fiscal health, training and development, team building, coaching and facilitation, and public speaking. Additionally, she serves as an adjunct instructor at a local university. She is a natural teacher who believes in coaching and investing in human capital.

Bridget Smith, Treasurer

Bridget has zealously advocated for and volunteered with the life-changing treatment courts of Milwaukee County for over a decade. In 2012, she helped found Phase V which is Wisconsin's first Drug Treatment Court alumni group. Bridget's volunteer work supports clients and alumni of Milwaukee County's Treatment Courts in their recovery efforts through community outreach, service, education and coordination of resources. She serves on the Wisconsin Association of Treatment Court Professionals as a board member since 2020.
Bridget's involvement with treatment courts inspired her to become an attorney. Bridget represents the interests of police and fire unions throughout Wisconsin. She is a proud graduate of Marquette University Law School (L '21) and Marquette University ('11 B.S. Finance, Human Resources).

Cameron Overton

Cameron Overton is an Assistant Professor and the Master’s of Social Work program director in the social work department at Alverno College. Overton is an Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) as well as a Clinical Substance Abuse Counselor (CSAC). He has spent most of his social work experience working with those who struggle with a drug or alcohol addiction, most recently as the Milwaukee County Adult Drug Treatment Court Coordinator. Overton continues to be engaged in this work as he serves on the Wisconsin Association of Treatment Court Professionals (WATCP) board and on the Friends of Treatment Court Board advising the Milwaukee County treatment courts. He focuses his work mainly on the equity and inclusion sub-committee to ensure that the conversation about the disparities that effect People of Color in the criminal justice system does not fade. Overton has had a plethora of work experience in micro and macro work including child protective services, recovery support coordination, grant coordination, and program and practice evaluation.
Overton earned his Bachelor of Social Work degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison as well as earned a certificate in criminal justice. He went on to earn his Master of Social Work degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee as well as a certificate in trauma informed care. Overton is currently in a program earning his Doctorate in Social Work focusing on the effects of trauma on Black youth in the criminal justice system and the reciprocal relationship that the criminal justice system has in creating trauma in the same population. His hope is to help the field of social work critically analyze this relationship and move into a future that changes this relationship.

Barbara Due

She is a criminal defense attorney. She began working in the Office of the State Public Defender in 1986 in Janesville. Her practice involved the defense of indigent clients charged with felonies and misdemeanors, as well as individuals who were facing commitment for mental health issues. She represented both juveniles and adults. In 1990 she transferred to the Milwaukee Criminal Trial Division- State Public Defender, where she represented adults facing criminal charges. In 2010 she joined the Early Intervention Unit in the Milwaukee Trial Division. She found her greatest job satisfaction and inspiration in the Early Intervention Unit, where individuals in the criminal justice system were provided treatment for addiction and offered opportunities to address their criminogenic needs, including education, employment, cognitive therapy and positive influences. In 2012, she began working with the team of professionals in Milwaukee Veterans Treatment Court. She retired in 2018 after 32 years with the Public Defender, but then returned to work part-time in the Milwaukee Trial Division during the pandemic, where again she currently works in the Early Intervention Unit. She is a graduate of Marquette University (1986, JD) and the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (1983, BA - Political Science) and a resident of the City of Milwaukee.

Robyn Ellis

Robyn is first and foremost a person in recovery, graduating from Milwaukee’s Family Drug Treatment Court June 20, 2014. She is also an alumni of Meta House, AODA treatment facility in Milwaukee that serves women. Robyn has served the community in different capacities starting in 2015 where she was a case manager for people facing homelessness. Then moving into the role as a certified Peer Support Specialist in 2017 at Meta House, she was able to use her own experience to professionally assist women who were beginning their recovery journey. She has continued her career path at Meta House and now holds the position of Recovery Community Coordinator, overseeing all transitions in and out of the housing program. Robyn also facilitated a support group for participants of Family Drug Treatment court from 2018-2020. Since graduating from Family Drug Treatment Court in 2014, Robyn has had the opportunity to travel and share her personal experience with many professionals around the state alongside Judge Mary Triggiano and Rebecca Foley. Robyn graduated from UW-Milwaukee December 2022 with her bachelor’s degree in Social Work and is currently working on her master’s degree in Social Work, with a focus on Substance Use Disorder and Trauma Informed Care.

Testimonials

Contributions & Donations:
Please send all checks or monetary donations to:
Friends of Milwaukee County Treatment Court
Attn: Bridget Smith – Treasurer
c/o Stacey Anick
205 W. Highland Ave Ste 509
Milwaukee, WI. 53203