Rhode Island Family Court Family Treatment Drug Court

The OJJDP Family Drug Court Program seeks to build the capacity of states, state and local courts, units of local government, and federally recognized tribal governments to sustain existing family drug courts or establish new family drug courts. Category 1: Enhancing Family Drug Courts will support courts that are fully operational (for at least 1 year) to enhance services of existing family drug courts.

The Rhode Island Family Treatment Court will protect children whose health and welfare may be adversely affected by parental substance use, enhance parental capacity to meet their children’s needs, and expedite permanency for children in state care. The court will accomplish the following project goals: (1) identify substance-involved parents on the court docket and through partnership with community-based service providers; (2) develop comprehensive multi-disciplinary case plans in collaboration with the child welfare system; (3) facilitate participants’ access to treatment and other services; and (4) assess progress through intensive follow-up, service provider reports, surveys/other data collection, and frequent court supervision of court orders. The program will enhance court services by (1) hiring an additional MSW care coordinator; (2) providing additional training to improve trauma-informed practices; (3) hiring a toxicology specialist to assist in the drug/alcohol screening; and (4) formalizing a peer-to-peer recovery coach component through hiring a part-time peer specialist. Enhancements will also increase the program’s capacity to serve an additional 20 participants for a total of up to 80 participants a year. CA/NCF