A Milwaukee courtroom transformed into a celebration space as parents completed a program designed to help them reunite with their children.
The family treatment court graduation ceremony filled the room with joy, applause and hope as participants marked a powerful turning point in their journeys to rebuild their lives and families.
"It literally changed my life," said Erika Van Allen, a recent graduate of the program.
The court partners with various programs to help parents battling substance abuse and other challenges, giving them the tools to rebuild and reconnect with their children.
WATCH: Families celebrate graduation from family treatment court program in Milwaukee
"I love to see how people recover and heal and the ripple effect that has on families, when parents heal the entire family heals and the community heals," said Judge Carroll.
The celebration highlighted multiple treatment court paths, including veterans and adult programs, mental health support, and parenting resources.
"Change is possible, simply because some have criminal justice involvement or maybe involvement through children's court or suffering from an addiction, change is still possible," said Judge Stark
Families who complete the journey stand before a judge not for sentencing, but for recognition of their accomplishments.
"I just pushed through, it's for my kids, what other choice do I have," said Van Allen.
Along the way, participants learn critical life skills—how to manage stress, rebuild trust, and take steps toward stability.
"To have a system in place that says I see you, I hear you I'm willing to help you, is everything, putting people in jail is not the answer to drug abuse," said Van Allen.
The event showcased a side of the court system rarely seen but worth celebrating.
"Don't give up hope," said Van Allen.
This story was reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
