FY 20 OJJDP Juvenile Drug Treatment Court Enhancement Project

The Juvenile Drug Treatment Court Program builds the capacity of states, state and local courts, units of local government, and federally recognized tribal governments to enhance existing drug courts or implement new juvenile drug treatment courts (JDTCs) for individuals with substance abuse problems or co-occurring mental health disorders, including histories of trauma. Under Category 2, Juvenile Drug Treatment Court Enhancement grants are available to jurisdictions with a fully operational (for at least 1 year) juvenile drug treatment court to enhance the operation of the court.

The Judiciary of Guam proposes to enhance its JDTC program to increase positive outcomes for youth and families. The goal of this project is to support the enhancement of evidence-based practices and treatment services to align with JDTC best practices. Activities include hiring/expanding personnel duties, hiring interpreters to increase family participation, and implementing evidence-based services. The program will also work to build the capacity of the JDTC team members through targeted training. An independent evaluator will support the program for performance assessment, track progress made toward goals and objectives, and assess program success, therapeutic interventions, and program enhancements. The proposed program will strengthen the current JDTC and provide its participants a higher chance of success by identifying and establishing necessary supports that lend solutions to current barriers, ultimately lowering the recidivism of Guam’s juvenile population. CA/NCF