title: How effective are family treatment drug courts? Outcomes from a four-site national study.
abstract: Family treatment drug courts (FTDCs) are a rapidly expanding program model designed to improve treatment and child welfare outcomes for families involved in child welfare who have substance abuse problems. The present study compares outcomes for 250 FTDC participants to those of similar parents who did not receive FTDC services in four sites. Results show that FTDC parents, compared to comparison parents, entered substance abuse treatment more quickly, stayed in treatment longer, and completed more treatment episodes. Furthermore, children of FTDC parents entered permanent placements more quickly and were more likely to be reunified with their parents, compared to children of non-FTDC participants. Finally, the FTDC program appears to have a "value added" in facilitating positive child welfare outcomes above and beyond the influence of positive treatment experiences.
authors.affiliation: NPC Research, Portland, OR 97239, USA. green@npcresearch.com
authors.forename: Beth L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: Carrie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Furrer
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Worcel
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Burrus
authors.forename: Michael W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Finigan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005196:Family Therapy / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D005260:Female; D005581:Foster Home Care / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016487:Parenting; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000592:standards; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States