Juvenile Drug Court Mentoring

The goal of the Juvenile Drug Courts Mentoring and Support Services Initiative is to build the capacity of states, state courts, local courts, units of local government, and tribal governments to enhance juvenile drug courts by developing and establishing a comprehensive support service initiative that would include mentoring and other appropriate support services (i.e., educational services, health services, employment services, community services, recreational activities, parenting programs, housing assistance) to serve substance-abusing youth who are assigned to the juvenile drug court program. This program is authorized under 42 U.S.C. 3797u.

Worcester County Health Department will enhance their juvenile drug court by assuring that their current comprehensive support service initiative known as Juvenile Drug Court Mentoring will continue to be available for all Juvenile Drug Court (JDC) Participants. JDC Participants will receive intensive level (one on one) mentoring as part of their drug court participation. Intensive mentoring will also include high levels of family involvement. The goal of this mentoring is to ensure that youth and their families develop the skills and natural supports necessary to successfully complete the drug court program. Additionally, the program will meet a specific identified need that youth coming to drug court historically lack - appropriate adult support which lessens their chances for successful completion. The mentor will act as a resource for the family and will assist the family with needed conflict resolution skills to improve overall family functioning. Progress toward these program goals will be measured using a continuous quality improvement approach. Record reviews, program graduation rates, specific measurement tools (i.e. - Time Risk Assessment, and family functioning surveys) will all be used to measure program success.

CA/NCF