The National Association of Drug Court Professionals, (NADCP) in conjunction with the Center for Children and Family Futures, (CFF) created the Family Treatment Court, (FTC) Best Practice Standards, which provides a guideline for how to run a Family Treatment Court. The National Institute of Justice published “Defining Drug Courts: The Key Components.” These 10 Key Components, as they are now widely known, define drug and treatment courts and “are the core framework for specialty courts” in Oregon. Our 7th Judicial District Family Treatment Court incorporates these standards and key components to meet best practices and to provide consistency within the FTC program.
Beginning in 2024, with the goal of reuniting families quickly and more sustainably than standard dependency court. A coalition of community partners provide services and support for FTC participants experiencing Substance use Disorders, (SUD) and their children. Community based organizations, public agencies, and SUD treatment providers work collaboratively with the court to assist FTC families.
Mission Statement
Working as a unified team, to meet parents where they are, to remove barriers, to reunify and improve family stability by engaging with participants about their family culture, and needs; while connecting families to our supportive, sustainable recovery community outside of the judicial system.
Family Treatment Court Goals
1. Provide coordinated services and interventions that facilitate rehabilitation of court-involved parents and their families.
2. Increase collaboration and communication of the justice and human services systems.
3. Assist parents in creating and maintaining a safe stable and nurturing home for their children.
4. Assist parents in creating and maintaining a long-term recovery plan that will support a recovery lifestyle.
5. Improve participant self-sufficiency through education and/or employment opportunities.
6. Reduction of children in substitute care.
7. Timely reunification of children with their parent.
8. Reduce recidivism in the juvenile dependency system.
Eligibility Requirements
Our approach is aligned with the one family/one judge philosophy, with a strong emphasis on child safety. Potential participants must satisfy the following eligibility criteria to participate:
1. Has an open dependency case in the Oregon 7th Judicial District; the Oregon Department of Human Services is a party to the case; and the court has jurisdiction over the family. FTC: Although accessing services as early as the permanency plan for the dependency case is reunification and ODHS Child Welfare is not moving to change the plan within the following 60 days.
2. Parent acknowledges a Substance Use Disorder, (SUD) and has a desire to obtain and maintain sobriety.
3. Has recently taken or will take an ASAM, Alcohol and Drug Assessment and be assessed at least at a Level 2.1 (intensive outpatient treatment)
4. Must reside in the 7th Judicial District.
5. Applicant eligibility criteria for identifying potential participants shall be defined by the specialty court team, documented, and communicated to potential referral sources.
6. Family treatment court may be designed to admit eligible defendants, pre-plea, post-plea, or may operate with a combination of pre- and post-plea defendants. FTC: Although accessing services as early as possible is desirable, programs may be designed to admit eligible applicants at any time throughout the adjudication process. Having a formal process to review petitions for substance use as a factor is suggested. Motivational elements shall be implemented during intake to promote program acceptance.
7. Family treatment court shall use standardized, objective, validated risk and need screening and assessment tools (such as LSI-R, LS-CMI, or PSC) to assess the risk and need of the potential specialty court candidates. Screening and assessment results shall be used to determine program eligibility and to determine level and type of care and supervision. FTC shall use validated clinical assessments for service planning and to identify treatment and complementary service needs. When working with members of historically disadvantaged groups, programs have a responsibility to use tools validated for those individuals whenever available. FTC assesses multiple areas of strength and need for primary defendants as well as family members. FTC: Caseworker or other staff asks if the parent identifies as native or is a tribal member, to ensure compliance with ICWA.
8. Family treatment court shall target individuals classified as moderate-risk/moderate-need to high-risk/high-need. These individuals are appropriate for the intensive interventions (treatment and supervision) that specialty courts provide. Low-risk, low-need individuals shall be diverted from the FTC. If they are included in the program, separate service tracks must be developed to meet their needs and not increase the risk of recidivism. Defendants are screened for program eligibility by designated members of the FTC team as identified by program policies and procedures. FTC: Child welfare representatives may have a role in determining program eligibility.
9. As soon as defendants are being considered for FTC, they shall be promptly advised about the program by a designated team member per program policy and procedures. This advice shall include a description of program requirements, scope and potential benefits, effects on their case, and consequences of noncompliance with their program case plan.
10. Program staff shall strive to have eligible defendants begin the program within 50 days of the arrest or incident that resulted in them being evaluated and considered for participation in the FTC.
11. Trained and qualified professionals shall conduct assessments for substance use disorders and other treatment needs.
12. If appropriate services are available, the FTC shall accept individuals with serious disorders, co-occurring disorders, and medical conditions. The FTC may gather information from trained medical professionals and consider accepting individuals who have valid prescriptions for psychotropic or addictive medication, such as narcotics for pain.
13. The FTC shall maintain an appropriate caseload/census based on their capacity to effectively serve all defendants in compliance with the Standards.
14. The FTC shall accept defendants who are taking, or intend to take, medication prescribed by a licensed health care practitioner for the treatment of substance abuse or dependency. The FTC shall have policies specific to medication-assisted treatment (MAT) and MOUs in place to ensure proper coordination with treatment and medical providers for all programmatic Phases.
Family Treatment Court Priority Candidates
To facilitate the enrollment and inclusion of those families in the most need of the services and support of a family treatment court, admission will be prioritized in the following cases:
1. Cases where SUD has resulted in the neglect of the child/ren.
2. Cases where the parent experiences co-occurring mental health conditions cases involving children that are placed in non-relative substitute care.
3. Cases involving child/ren 5 years old and younger.
4. Cases involving child/ren that are placed outside of the district that your case is in.
5. Cases involving Child/ren with other placement issues on a case-by-case basis.
Family Treatment Court Disqualification Criteria
Potential participants who satisfy the eligibility criteria are disqualified from participation in the family treatment court if the parent:
1. Is a medium or high-risk sex offender.
2. Has committed acts of direct violence, including sexual abuse.
3. Trafficking, or exploitation, towards a child in their care. This does not include driving related offenses or offenses involving exposure or ingestion of controlled substances.
4. Suffers from a mental illness, other mental impairment, or lack of cognitive ability significant enough to prevent them from adequately participating in FTC.
5. Significant obstacles to program completion could be a diagnosis of intellectual disabilities, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and organic brain injuries. These significant barriers may render an applicant ineligible.