Montgomery County Family Treatment Court Diversion Program

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 Montgomery County Juvenile Court (MCJC), Family Treatment Court (FTC), proposes to establish a Family Treatment Diversion program to address a gap in services for families with unofficial, preadjudicated child welfare cases. Currently, the FTC is unable to monitor child welfare cases that are under investigation by the Children Services Division but not officially adjudicated. These unofficial cases include families with substance abuse and/or mental health issues that place the parents at risk of having a child removed from the home. These families often require the same treatment options and system supports as those families who are officially enrolled in FTC programming, but due to Supreme Court of Ohio regulations, the FTC is unable to monitor these unofficial cases. Through this program, MCJC parents with unofficial child welfare cases will receive access to treatment options and support that will increase the probability of recovery and will encourage youth permanency. The primary goal is to provide effective case management and overall support to these families and limit the removal of children from their homes. CA/NCF