How Effective Are Family Treatment Drug Courts? Outcomes From a Four-Site National Study

Abstract

Family treatment drug courts (FTDCs) are a rapidly expanding program model designed to improve treatment and child welfare outcomes for families involved in child welfare who have substance abuse problems. The present study compares outcomes for 250 FTDC participants to those of similar parents who did not receive FTDC services in four sites. Results show that FTDC parents, compared to comparison parents, entered substance abuse treatment more quickly, stayed in treatment longer, and completed more treatment episodes. Furthermore, children of FTDC parents entered permanent placements more quickly and were more likely to be reunified with their parents, compared to children of non-FTDC participants. Finally, the FTDC program appears to have a "value added" in facilitating positive child welfare outcomes above and beyond the influence of positive treatment experiences.

Helping families where parents misuse drugs or alcohol? A mixed methods comparative evaluation of an intensive family preservation service

“…Common themes include regular meetings with a designated judge who actively manages the case; a focus on recognizing and rewarding achievements; better coordination of services for families; and a specialized team who works with families to improve such coordination. Overall, the FDTCs have promising findings, suggesting swifter access to drug treatment, higher rates of reunification with parents and no indications of this being associated with subsequent breakdown (Boles et al 2007;Green et al 2007;Worcel et al 2008). One somewhat concerning finding was that Worcel et al (2008) found that for children permanently placed elsewhere, final placement took longer in an FDTC.…”

Empirical evidence on legal levers aimed at addressing child maltreatment

“…Of the two, there is more evidence that FDTCs increase reunification rates; nine studies found an increase in reunification for participants (Ashford, 2004;Boles, Young, Moore, & DiPirro-Beard, 2007;Burrus, Mackin, & Finigan, 2011;Chuang, Moore, Barrett, & Young, 2012;Dakof et al, 2010;Gifford, Eldred, Vernerey, & Sloan, 2014;Green, Furrer, Worcel, Burrus, & Finigan, 2009;Green, Rockhill, & Furrer, 2007b;Worcel, Furrer, Green, Burrus, & Finigan, 2008). Several studies found reduced time spent in foster care for children of participants (Bruns, Pullmann, Weathers, Wirschem, & Murphy, 2012;Burrus et al, 2011;Gifford et al, 2014;Green, Furrer, Worcel, Burrus, & Finigan, 2007a;Worcel et al, 2008), although one study reported longer stays (Chuang et al, 2012) and another found the effect varied by court (Green et al, 2009). To date, long-term outcomes have not been evaluated.…”

“…To date, long-term outcomes have not been evaluated. With the exception of one study that found no difference in the probability of a subsequent maltreatment report between FDTC participants and the treatment-as-usual group (Green et al, 2007a), no studies have examined whether children who were reunited with their parents after treatment had better long-term outcomes. Further, it is not known whether parents who enter FDTCs when they are able to maintain custody during treatment are more successful and/or their children have better outcomes.…”

Reducing and preventing alcohol misuse and its consequences: A Grand Challenge for social work

“…New promising treatment approaches that combine pharmacotherapies and behavioral therapies have emerged (Jonas et al, 2014;Miller, Locastro, Longabaugh, O'Malley, & Zweben, 2005). Evidence supports the use of drug courts as systems for coordinating and judicially supervising treatment for individuals involved with the criminal justice system as a result of problems with alcohol or other drugs (Brown, Allison, & Nieto, 2011) and for families involved in the child welfare system (Green, Furrer, Worcel, Burrus, & Finigan, 2007;Smith, 2003).…”