FY2003 Drug Court Grant

The Drug Court Discretionary Grant Program is designed to assist states, state courts, local courts, units of local government, and Indian tribal governments in developing and establishing drug courts for substance-abusing adult and juvenile offenders. Drug court programs funded by the Drug Court Discretionary Grant Program are required by law to target nonviolent offenders. The Program supports the following activities: Adult drug court implementation, Juvenile drug court implementation, Family drug court implementation, Single jurisdiction drug court enhancement, Statewide drug court enhancement, and planning efforts.

The participants in the Ulster County Family Treatment Court (UCFTC)are those parents or persons (e.g., "significant others")who have been named as respondents in a child neglect petition because of an underlying drug and/or addiction problem. The goal of the Court is to protect and enhance the lives of children neglected by that offender(s), regardless of whether that participant succeeds or fails in the treatment program. If participants succeed, they resume their roles as parents; however,if they fail parental rights are formally withdrawn. The grant funds will be used in furtherance of the objectives of the UCFTC: To reduce by four weeks the petition-filing-to-service-referral time; to decrease by three months the time to permanency determinations; to shorten by six months the time in foster care; to reduce recidivist behavior by 40%; and, to increase the number of families reunited from 75% to 80%.

CA/NCF