Learning Opportunities

Family treatment court (FTC) teams often think of “screening and assessment” as a task to complete in the early stages of a case. While vital to inform initial service delivery, screening and assessment processes must be collaborative and continuous to respond to evolving parent and child strengths and needs. This presentation will encourage FTC teams to conduct an “assessment inventory” to understand what tools are being used, when, and by whom, and how to collaborate to best use the information without overburdening families.

In this webinar, presented by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) GAINS Center, presenters will outline how to integrate “checks” into FTC phases and milestones to ensure parents and children are receiving needed supports and services that will prepare them for successful case closure and sustained recovery. Two panelists will share how their FTC used a continuous and collaborative screening and assessment process.

*Please Note: This webinar is not registered for CEU credit. A certificate of attendance will be provided for personal portfolio use only.

The opioid crisis hit a historic new height during the pandemic. In the 12-month period that ended in July 2023, 81,027 people died of an opioid overdose. To address this epidemic, communities need robust continuums of care to prevent and treat opioid use disorder. Judges and judicially led teams are in a unique position to advocate and promote services and resources that will serve the families in front of them as well as the community at large. This event will bring together judicially led multi-disciplinary court teams of four participants from jurisdictions across the country to learn about best practices and emergent solutions, prioritize their communities' gaps in care, and develop action plans to address those gaps in their communities. At the end of the training, participants will have a personalized and specific action plan to fill the gaps in care in their jurisdiction and the skills to enact their action plan.

This event will be held in Phoenix, Arizona, on July 20, 2024.

Please contact the registrar, Gloria Torma, Program Specialist, National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ), at gtorma@ncjfcj.org if you have any questions.

Family treatment courts (FTCs), like all drug courts, historically focused on treating substance use disorders (SUDs). However, FTCs cannot maintain this singular focus since 45% of adults with an SUD in the general population also live with a co-occurring mental health disorder. People with an untreated co-occurring disorder are less likely to complete substance use treatment or achieve sustained recovery; they are also more likely to experience unemployment, homelessness, child welfare involvement, incarceration, and suicide.

Many dependency court professionals recognize the prevalence of co-occurring disorders. Still, due to complexities in screening, assessment, diagnosis, and securing mental health services, FTCs may not appropriately identify and treat parents with co-occurring disorders. This session examines the interactive nature of substance use and mental health disorders, while providing strategies for improved approaches and outcomes for parents and their children.

Learning Objectives:

• Summarize definitions and prevalence rates of co-occurring disorders and explore theories of how and why substance use and mental health disorders co-occur.
• Identify complexities and opportunities in screening and assessment to more accurately identify parents with co-occurring disorders.
• Apply evidence-based approaches for integrated treatment and recovery.
• Adopt strategies from FTCs that successfully serve parents with co-occurring disorders.

Join the National Family Treatment Court Program for the September Idea Exchange, where the topic will be the continuation of the conversation following the Practice Academy course—Intentional Integration: How to Identify and Support Parents With Co-Occurring Disorders. Many dependency court professionals recognize the prevalence of co-occurring disorders. Still, due to complexities in screening, assessment, diagnosis, and securing mental health services, family treatment courts may not appropriately identify and treat parents with co-occurring disorders. Come take part in a lively conversation with peers from across the country and discuss strategies, share innovations, and brainstorm solutions to challenges and barriers!

Recovery is a process, and family treatment courts (FTCs) are a time-limited acute intervention in a family’s life. FTCs must blend aftercare planning into their program design to best support parents and their children after case closure. Aftercare plans, also known as “continuing care plans,” can provide parents with structure, accountability, and needed ongoing services to both parents and children after child welfare, treatment services, and the FTC no longer remain a central part of their lives. This Practice Academy shares the "do's and don'ts" of aftercare planning, highlights innovative approaches to continuing care, and offers strategies and examples that FTC teams use to support sustained family recovery.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the purpose and process of aftercare planning.
• Establish do's and don'ts of aftercare planning.
• Apply lessons about aftercare planning successes and challenges from FTC alumni in sustained recovery.
• Adopt strategies from recovery research and innovative FTCs focused on sustained recovery.

Join the National Family Treatment Court Program for the December Idea Exchange, where the topic will be the continuation of the conversation following the Practice Academy course—Sustained Recovery: Don’t Make Aftercare an Afterthought. Recovery is a process, and family treatment courts (FTCs) are a time-limited acute intervention in a family’s life. FTCs must blend aftercare planning into its program design to best support parents and their children after case closure. Aftercare plans can provide parents with structure, accountability, and needed ongoing services to both parents and children after child welfare, treatment services, and the FTC no longer remain a central part of their lives. Come take part in a lively conversation with peers from across the country and discuss strategies, share innovations, and brainstorm solutions to challenges and barriers!