The heart of this court
Healing plans
A healing plan is a plan the circle builds with you, and it can become part of your sentence. The Provincial Court calls healing plans the heart of BC's Indigenous courts.
What usually goes in one
No two plans are the same, because no two people are. A plan is built around your needs and your community's.
A healing plan may include:
- counselling
- treatment for substance use
- sweats and healing circles
- community service
- steps to reconnect with an Indigenous community
The court says a plan balances the legal requirements of the court system with Indigenous ways and laws. So your plan can hold both at once.
Who builds it
You don't write the plan alone. The people in the circle create it together with you.
Elders carry a big part of this work. Elders who have completed an orientation program work with you, the lawyers, and the Native courtworkers to shape a plan that addresses your needs and those of the community.
How it becomes part of your sentence
The judge often takes the healing plan and puts it into the sentence. That usually happens through conditions in a court order.
For example, a probation order might require you to attend sweat lodges, get treatment for substance use, and take steps to reconnect with an Indigenous community. A plan can also run through conditions on a conditional sentence order, or while you're on bail.
In some cases, people complete their healing plans while on bail, and Crown counsel don't go ahead with the charges.
Once conditions are in a court order, they're binding. If you're struggling to keep up with them, say so early. There's a page on what to do if you slip up.
Why people choose this
Don't expect an easier ride. The Elders and the judge want to help you heal, and they'll also hold you accountable for what you did.
Many people find the work worth it. A healing plan may help you, your community, and the victims of your crime move on. That's because you'll work on the issues that got you into trouble with the law in the first place.
There's evidence behind this approach. A 2024 report on the New Westminster court, called Reconciliation in Action, looked at the stories of 20 participants. It found that Elders, healing plans, Indigenous services, and wrap-around support all helped lower the risk that participants would reoffend. To reoffend means to get in trouble with the law again.
After sentencing, you come back to court so the circle can see how your plan is going. Read about review hearings.