Hillsborough County (FL) Family Dependency Treatment Court
Problems addressed
Family breakdown and/or dysfunctionality
Effectiveness

Promising

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Promising

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Life periods served
Adults (18 to 59 years)
Where the program was applied
Courts of justice
Country of application
United States
Description

This is a specialized program for parents and guardians with substance use problems who, because of that, were separated from their children by the guardianship council. The goal is to reunite parents or guardians and their children, ensuring the safety and well-being of the family.
The parents and/or guardians must not have a history of serious mental disorders or a history of sexual assault and serious offenses that have resulted in imprisonment. The specialized court consists of a single judge responsible for both substance use and childcare.
The program requires adherence to substance use treatment and participation in regular meetings with staff members and the judge. Participants receive weekly group counseling and individual therapy, and are responsible for attending an Alcoholics/Narcotics Anonymous (AA or NA) group.

Impact evaluations

An impact evaluation found that program participants were more likely to return to kinship care, and children were less likely to return to foster care after permanent reunification. However, families who participated in the program achieved permanency with their children at a slower rate when compared to families who did not participate [1].

Bibliographic reference

[1] Chuang, E., Moore, K., Barrett, B. & Young, M. S. (2012). Effect of an integrated family dependency treatment court on child welfare reunification, time to permanency and re-entry rates. Children and Youth Services Review, 34(9), 1896–1902. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2012.06.001

Information source