Healing Families: Outcomes from a Family Drug Treatment Court. (June 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: van Wormer, Jacqueline; Hsieh, Ming‐Li
• Is Part Of: Juvenile & family court journal. Volume 67:Number 2(2016:Summer)
• Page Start: 49
• Page End: 65
• Publication Date: 2016-06
• Subjects: family drug court -- substance‐abusing -- child welfare -- quasi‐experimental model -- propensity score matching; Juvenile justice, Administration of -- United States -- Periodicals; Juvenile courts -- United States -- Periodicals; Domestic relations courts -- United States -- Periodicals; 346.015
• DOI: 10.1111/jfcj.12057
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0161-7109

Abstract

Abstract: Family drug treatment courts (FDTC) have been acknowledged as a promising intervention for substance‐abusing parents involved in the child welfare system. Over the past decade, the number of FDTC programs has grown substantially, yet questions remain regarding the efficacy of these courts. This study examines the ability of the Snohomish County (WA) FDTC to address the three main goals of the Adoption and Safe Families Act. Utilizing propensity score matching, this study found that participants were more likely to have their children returned, experienced stronger treatment completion rates, and had less use of foster care. Implications for replication and further analysis are discussed.