Williamson County Transformative Justice Program receives $15K grant from Texas Bar Foundation

WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas – The Williamson County Transformative Justice (TJ) program has received a $15,000 grant from the Texas Bar Foundation to support enhancements to mental health services available to program participants. 

The TJ program is a 10 to 18-month intensive diversionary program designed to work with 17 to 24-year-olds charged with nonviolent felony offenses. The program provides personalized case management and early intervention to meet participants where they are, says the county.

Program partners learn about the participants’ journeys and help them to address their substance abuse issues, educational and vocational challenges and mental health issues, says the county.

The TJ program also provides life skills education to prepare participants for success in the community. Successful graduates from the program are eligible to have their charges dismissed and their records expunged.  

The program is a collaborative effort of the Williamson County District Courts, Juvenile Services, the Defense Bar and the District Attorney’s Office. With the support of Commissioners Court, the program is focused on reducing recidivism for the emerging adults who participate in order to change the trajectory of their lives and safeguard the community, says the county.

County leadership has also partnered with Texas A&M University and Harvard University to conduct research to verify the effectiveness of the program and its impact on this vulnerable age group.