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Date: April 30, 2024 Tue
Time: 1:39 am
Time: 1:39 am
Results for family drug courts (maine)
1 results foundAuthor: Hornby Zeller Associates, Inc. Title: Evaluation of Maine's Family Treatment Drug Courts: A Preliminary Analysis of Short and Long-term Outcomes Summary: The high correlation between child maltreatment and the abuse of drugs and alcohol among parents or other caregivers is well documented. Indeed, parental substance abuse is one of the major reasons why children are removed from their homes and placed into protective custody. Today, it is estimated that nearly eighty percent of all substantiated child abuse and neglect cases involve parental substance abuse. Many parents with substance abuse problems never regain custody of their children. This is due in large part to the fact that these caregivers are significantly less likely to enter into or complete court ordered treatment services. Pervasive among this population are other issues that hamper reunification efforts including inadequate or unstable housing, mental illness, transportation issues and unemployment, to name a few. Family drug courts were developed as a means to respond to the complex problems posed by substance abuse among parents involved in the child welfare system. Through a combination of intensive judicial oversight, case management supervision, drug testing and dedicated treatment and protective custody caseworker assignments, the family drug court represents a nexus between the court, child welfare and substance abuse treatment systems. The overarching goal of the family drug court is to protect the safety and welfare of the child while providing parents the opportunity to enter into treatment and learn the skills they need to become healthy, responsible caregivers. Nationally, there are approximately 200 family drug courts in operation in 43 states across the country. The first family drug court program in Maine became operational in October, 2002. Today, there are three family drug courts currently in operation with locations in Belfast, Augusta and Lewiston. As of January 1, 2007, thirteen parents have successfully completed these programs and graduated, forty-one have been expelled and twenty-three are currently active participants in Maine's family drug court programs. Preliminary findings from a recently released national study suggest several promising outcomes for family drug court programs. The current study contributes to the ongoing discussion about the effectiveness of these programs and how well they operate in Maine. Overall findings in this report are consistent with those reported elsewhere, indicating that Maine's family drug court programs are also generating important outcomes across a variety of key measures. Key findings of this report include the following: - Seven drug-free babies were born to mothers participating in the drug court program. - Family drug court participants are significantly more likely than other parents with substance abuse problems in having greater child welfare system and criminal justice system involvement. - Families in drug court are more likely to receive treatment and adjunctive services such as child care. - Family drug court participants are significantly more likely to enter into and subsequently complete treatment. - Children of family drug court participants have significantly fewer placement changes and spent less time in foster care. - Once returned to the home, children of family drug court participants are less likely to experience a subsequent removal from the home. - Significant predictors of successful parent-child reunification relate to caregiver mental health, relative foster care setting, treatment completion and days out-of-home placement. - Among cases involving a TPR, children of family drug court participants were more likely to be adopted. - Savings generated from the family drug court program result from differences in the types of foster care settings utilized as well as fewer days in foster care. - The likelihood of even greater cost-savings will result in more families being enrolled in the family drug court with expanded capacity. Details: Portland, ME: Hornby Zeller Associates, Inc., 2007. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 14, 2014 at: http://www.courts.state.me.us/maine_courts/drug/Statewide%20FTDC%20Evaluation%202007.pdf Year: 2007 Country: United States URL: http://www.courts.state.me.us/maine_courts/drug/Statewide%20FTDC%20Evaluation%202007.pdf Shelf Number: 102595 Keywords: Child Abuse and NeglectDrug OffendersFamily Drug Courts (Maine)Problem Solving CourtsSubstance Abuse Treatment |