Saratoga County Family Treatment Court Implementation

Saratoga County Family Court, located in upstate New York, will establish a Family Treatment Court (FTC) to provide specialized services to parents and families impacted by substance use who are entering Family Court under abuse and neglect proceedings. By utilizing a multidisciplinary team, Saratoga County FTC aims to provide an expedited connection to substance use and mental health services, enhanced screening and assessment tools, and connections to additional services. Services include: an enhanced parenting time program, which is an evidence- and strength-based, coached model of parenting time conducted multiple times per week that is combined with a parent education component; a certified recovery peer advocate, an individual with lived experience who supports individuals going through their recovery and has specialized training in child welfare issues and how substance abuse affect the entire family; a dedicated mental health provider to complete individual mental health evaluations and family evaluations as needed, and help participants enroll with mental health services as needed; and an independent evaluator who will who will work with collaborative partners to ensure that all data and performance measures are collected appropriately.