In this episode, Justice Speaks continues its series highlighting influential voices in the treatment court community. This episode is sponsored by Reconnect.

In this episode we interview Kamesha Falana, Human Health and Human Services Supervisor for Wake County, North Carolina, whose nearly 30-year career in the criminal justice system spans corrections, reentry, and treatment court operations. Ms. Falana shares her professional journey and offers insight into how the Wake County Recovery Court program supports individuals with substance use disorders through trauma-informed, evidence-based practices.

Ms. Falana starts by telling us how she began her career in North Carolina’s maximum-security prison system, working in a range of roles including officer, case manager, victim specialist, and parole case analyst. She explains how her passion for supporting justice-involved individuals led her to community-based work as an employment development specialist with Durham County’s reentry team. In 2011, when North Carolina cut state funding for treatment courts, Durham County preserved the position, allowing Ms. Falana to shift into the treatment court field. She later transitioned to Wake County, where she now supervises senior case managers, writes grants, manages the court’s budget, and ensures the implementation of best practices.

Ms. Falana then describes the funding structure that supports the Wake County Recovery Court. The program currently receives funding from a federal grant, Wake County, and also the Wake County ABC Board. Plans are underway for the County to take on permanent funding responsibility. She tells us that in addition to core operational funding, the court issues Requests for Proposals (RFPs) to contract with local treatment providers. This has enabled the program to maintain service continuity and ensure participants receive timely access to housing, Medicaid, food support, child care, and employment readiness programs.

She discusses how her court primarily serves adults with substance use disorders, and Ms. Falana emphasizes the importance of addressing co-occurring mental health disorders and trauma within that framework. She notes that treatment courts are far more effective than the traditional justice responses, especially when implemented with fidelity to best practices. Ms. Falana credits her team and the research developed about treatment courts for shaping the evolution of Wake County Recovery Court and strengthening participant outcomes.

Ms. Falana tells us how one of the most significant advancements in Wake County’s program has been the adoption of the Ohio Risk Assessment System (ORAS) tool. She explains that this assessment framework helps the court identify and prioritize high-risk, high-need individuals—those who benefit most from the intensive structure of a treatment court. She also highlights the importance of keeping misdemeanor-level participants in county supervision rather than sending them to prison, and she celebrates the court’s collaborative work with Child Protective Services. She mentions that one notable initiative has been the Angel Tree program, which provides holiday gifts for the children of participants, helping to maintain family bonds during recovery.

Ms. Falana then notes that the addition of an in-house drug testing lab has improved accuracy and timeliness, supporting a more responsive court model. However, she also points out persistent challenges, such as a shortage of inpatient treatment options and transportation barriers. She calls for expanded training on emerging drug trends and behavioral health issues to better equip court teams with the tools they need.

Looking ahead, Ms. Falana envisions Wake County becoming a national mentor court. Her goals include strengthening medication-assisted treatment (MAT) access, reducing participant attrition, and expanding the program’s capacity to serve a growing population. She stresses the importance of continued innovation, community partnerships, and alignment with national standards to ensure that the program remains both effective and sustainable.

We thank Ms. Falana for sharing her personal, and professional, insights about her work and the Wake County Recovery Court.  We also extend our gratitude to Reconnect for sponsoring this episode.

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