News
Justice P. Kevin Brobson Connects with Treatment Court Graduates during Live Town Hall
June 02, 2026
Recognizing May as National Treatment Court Month, Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice P. Kevin Brobson recently joined with legislators, law enforcement, treatment court professionals and graduates from across Pennsylvania to discuss Pennsylvania’s treatment court program.
In a recent virtual town hall event, Justice Brobson highlighted the critical needs for treatment court programs and recognized that the path through treatment court is not easy.
“Treatment courts are based on a powerful idea – that we can’t incarcerate our way out of addiction, mental illness or trauma but when we combine accountability with compassion through the treatment court program, lives are changed, saved and communities are strengthened,” said Justice Brobson.
Brobson was joined at the live event by treatment court partners including:
Honorable Joseph F. Sklarosky Jr., Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas Honorable Steven O’Neill, Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas Representative Tim Briggs, Pa House of Representatives
Joseph Peters, Wyoming County District Attorney
Bradon Toomey, Cumberland County Public Defender
Nancy Butts, Pa Association of Treatment Court Professionals President
Lesha Sanders, Philadelphia Treatment Court Chief/Coordinator
Lt. Ed Hosler, Deputy Chief, Adult/Child Probation, Clinton County
Susan Wright, Treatment Provider, Pa Counseling Services
Cpl. Brandi Schuettler, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office
Lorenzo Trout, Lived Experience and Program Graduate
Jessica Miraglia, Lived Experience and Program Graduate
Matthew Welickovitch, Lived Experience and Program Graduate
Full video from the live event is available here.
Across Pennsylvania, treatment court programs offer resources to help eligible participants and court staff to open doors to treatment and rehabilitation as they prepare to return to the community. Each of these courts aim to link participants to employment, housing, treatment, and other support services.
Within the treatment court system, critical focus is placed on treatment to facilitate change, rather than incarceration supported by a heightened level of judicial involvement and intensive adult probation supervision along with the appropriate treatment and ancillary services.
Pennsylvania’s first drug court opened in Philadelphia in 1997. Since that time, the treatment court movement in the commonwealth has expanded to include, among others, driving under the influence courts, juvenile drug courts, veterans courts and mental health courts.
Currently more than 130 treatment courts are operational across the state, assisting those with substance use disorders, mental health disorders, and co-occurring disorders reach and maintain a recovery-oriented lifestyle, thereby increasing recovery capital in their communities.
Pennsylvania has forged new ground and established itself as a leader among states by forming key partnerships and investing in treatment court teams and participants.
Established in 1999, the Pennsylvania Association of Treatment Court of Professionals (PATCP) works to advocate for the establishment of Treatment Courts in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
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Media contact: Stacey Witalec, 717-877-2997