Joshua Hjermstad sat at a table in the bustling, plant-filled lower level of the downtown Reno library Wednesday where community court was in session nearby behind large glass walls.

He was talking to a homeless woman who said she didn’t want to quit using meth. He had a new tool in his toolkit to help her: treatment readiness group therapy.

“It’s preparing people to start drug and mental health treatment,” said Hjermstad, the specialty court case manager for Reno Municipal Court.

“It's about identifying very basic skills and basic needs: relearning how to communicate, relearning how to engage socially with people. It’s not about getting deep into any trauma, but identifying there is some trauma here that you might want to start working on. Once these people start buying into (the therapy sessions), they’re like, ‘Oh wow, I really do want to work on these things.’”

The program started a few weeks earlier, and it’s so promising at preparing people to take advantage of treatment services that Hjermstad will give a presentation about it this week at the National Association of Drug Court Professionals conference in Nashville. It started Monday and is the first time Reno has presented there.

Ten more people from the city of Reno will also attend, including Judge Shelly O'Neill.

The group therapy sessions were inspired by Judge Christopher Hazlett-Stevens, who presides over Reno community court.

Community court is held Wednesday mornings at the downtown library. It handles misdemeanors often associated with homelessness such as open containers of alcohol, urinating in public and trespassing.

Defendants can receive lunch, socks, shoes and other necessities during court sessions.

The court’s goal is to connect people with services so they aren’t on the streets and stay out of jail. About 10 service providers have tables outside community court, offering help with housing, medical treatment, employment, replacing lost IDs and much more.

But just because the services are available doesn’t mean a person is in the right place mentally to take advantage of them.

“I'm always focused on treatment and how to incorporate treatment,” Hazlett-Stevens said between cases. “So I had this idea that treatment should somehow be a part of our court.”

He is quick to point out that the program was a team effort and that senior court clerk Veronica Lopez, who will also attend the Nashville conference, had a similar idea for adding a therapeutic component to the court. The two weren’t sure what it would look like, though.

That’s when Hjermstad developed the concept.

“One of the things I brought to the table is that I'm well connected to the treatment providers,” he said. "I knew that Renovation Mental Health (Services) would be willing to do something like that. I pitched it to them, and they loved it.”

Renovation provides staff to lead the group sessions, which are generally attended by people with a dual diagnosis of substance abuse and mental health issues.

“Therapeutically, what I try to do is see where they’re at and engage them and try to get them to pull forward,” said Trevor Wallace, a counselor with Renovation, after leading a therapy session with seven men and one woman at the library.

“I hope they come back next week because I'll be able to dig a little bit further.”

Here’s how the process might work, using the example of the woman using meth that Hjermstad was talking to outside court.

“She's not ready to do anything and she's not well,” he said.

“But if we get her into this treatment readiness (therapy group), she's going to start to realize, ‘Maybe I can work on some of these things. Maybe I can trust these people.’ Then she'll get connected with a psychiatrist at Renovation, and they'll get her on meds. We'll build her skills in IOP (intensive outpatient program). Then she'll be stable and now I can send her over to LifeChanges or CrossRoads (sober-living halfway houses). And when they say she’s stable, now we can help her find housing.”

Mark Robison covers local government for the Reno Gazette-Journal, as well as writes Fact Checker and Ask the RGJ articles. His position is supported by donations and grants. Because of this, the journalism he creates is free for all to read. If you'd like to see more articles like this, please consider sharing this article or giving through PayPal here – 100% of donations go to Mark's wages.

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