Transcript document

Polk County
Family Drug Court
The Honorable Karla Fultz
Todd Beveridge, M.S.W., M.S.
Background

First Iowa Drug Court began in Polk
County in 1996, followed by drug courts in
four other counties
 These courts target convicted or admitted
felons or misdemeanants who are drug
dependent with no history of violence or
weapon use
Background

Iowa has one Family Drug Court (begun in
November of 2002) and it is atypical of the
drug court system
– All of the participants have been referred
to the Court following adjudication of the
children to the Child in Need of Assistance
(CINA) program
– Not all participants are convicted or
admitted felons and misdemeanants
Background
– Some of the women choose to participate
to prevent termination of parental rights
and others are involved as an effort to
obtain custody of the child removed
through the CINA program
– All of the women are court ordered after
participation is mandated by provider
Background

Begun as a pilot program – The foundations
of the program were the CINA children on
the docket of Judge Karla Fultz (Polk
County Juvenile Court) whose mothers
resided in one of House of Mercy’s
residential treatment programs. No federal
or state funding was used.
Background

Current program participants include:
– House of Mercy clients (outpatients &
residential).
– Polk County Juvenile Court
– Assistant County Attorney
– Department of Human Services Case
Manager
– Attorneys representing the mothers &
other advocates
– Clients of other treatment providers
Purpose

To foster and facilitate communication and
collaboration between families, providers,
and attorneys to aid parents in reunification
with their children
Requirements

Parents with a Child in Need of Assistance
Adjudication
 History of drug or alcohol problems as
determined by a substance abuse evaluation
resulting in a recommendation for treatment
services at a minimum outpatient level of
care
Requirements

Child or children out of parental custody
with reunification as the goal
 Referrals made by: Department of Human
Resources; Treatment Providers; Attorney
for children and parents; and Juvenile Court
Judges
The Process

The CINA system forms the basis of Family
Drug Court and consists of the judge,
county attorney, a guardian ad litem and
attorney appointed for the child, the parents,
an attorney for the parents, and child
protective service worker with the Iowa
Department of Human Services
The Process
– A removal hearing to determine the safety
of the child and the need for the removal
from the home
– An adjudication hearing where the state is
required to prove that the child is in need
of assistance within the meaning of one
or more of the CINA statutory grounds
The Process
– A disposition hearing when the judge
determines what service should be provided to
the parent(s) to help them overcome whatever
problems let to the need for adjudication and
what service should be provide to the child
– A review hearing is held before the juvenile
judge every six months so that the judge can
review the progress of the parents, the
condition of the child and the placement of the
child (if the child was removed from the
parents)
The Process

Family Drug Court review hearings are held
every Wednesday from 9:00 to 11:00
– The purpose of the hearings is to facilitate
the timely communication between the
providers, families, attorneys, and the
court
– Outpatient and residential treatment
participants initially attend weekly with
the frequency decreasing as progress is
made
The Process
– The judge inquires into progress made
and the need for additional and/or
different services
– Personnel from House of Mercy, other
providers and DHS are present to give
information
– Attorneys for the children and parents are
present and participate
– All women are present during the time
that has been allotted for the review
hearings
Key Program Elements

Judicial oversight and coordination of
services to promote accountability,
communication, collaboration, and reduce
duplication of effort
 Intensive supervision of participants
 Evidenced/Best Practice-Based substance
abuse counseling services
Key Program Elements

Non-adversarial approach
 Immediate response by the Court to the
needs of the child and family
 Alcohol and drug testing
 Self-sufficiency emphasis and support
 Intensive parenting services and assistance
 Readily accessible child care support
Key Program Elements

Strength-Based treatment approach
 Long term support with permanent housing
option
Program Specifics

Program capacity 40 – 50 participants

Duration
12 – 24 months, focusing
on recovery, parenting,
education, job training
& compliance with
treatment provider &
DHS court approved plans
Program Specifics

Drugs of Choice
– Marijuana
18%
– Alcohol
6%
– Cocaine
11%
– Methamphetamine
71%
– (some participants abuse multiple drugs)
 Average Education at admission is 10th
grade.
 Average age at admission is 28 years old.
Outcomes

Participation:
– Total of 116 families have participated or
are participating.
 32 families (27%) of color
 22 families currently involved
– Reunification Rate:
 82%
Outcomes

Terminations have decreased:

Clean & sober at program completion: 82%

Self-sufficiency involvement:
 Education
 Employment
50%
95%
47%
48%