NCJ Number
218395
Journal
Child Maltreatment Volume: 12 Issue: 2 Dated: May 2007 Pages: 161-171
Date Published
May 2007
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This article describes various types of Dependency Drug Courts (DDCs), which are being used increasingly to address the needs of child-welfare families affected by substance use disorders, and it reports on 24-month family reunification rates for the Sacramento DDC (California).
Abstract
In a DDC, the judge requires the parent to consent to substance abuse treatment, urine testing, and court monitoring. Child welfare professionals collaborate with substance abuse treatment providers and other social service agencies in monitoring parental compliance with court-mandated treatment plans. There are three primary types of judicial oversight: integrated, dual track, and parallel. In the integrated model, one family court judge oversees both the dependency-related petitions and compliance with substance abuse treatment orders. In the dual track system, one track consists of recovery management services and access to substance abuse treatment services for every child abuse or neglect case in the county. Those clients who do not comply with court orders are offered the second track of the system, which is the DDC. In a parallel DDC, the dependency case proceedings regarding child maltreatment are conducted on a family court docket, and the parent is offered specialized court services at the first appearance in court before any noncompliance can occur. In the Sacramento DDC, more parents enrolled in treatment and completed more treatment episodes than comparison parents. Children in the DDC group had significantly higher rates of reunification by 24 months than did the comparison group, and they spent fewer days in out-of-home care. Under the Sacramento DDC program model, the parent is offered the opportunity to participate in the DDC, which oversees compliance with court orders regarding the parent's substance abuse treatment participation and recovery. 2 tables and 6 references