The Coconino County Board of Supervisors has unanimously approved receipt of a Department of Justice grant in the amount of $250,000 to create a Family Treatment Court program in the County.
This specialized court, operated through the County’s Juvenile Court, is a voluntary court-supervised program for parents with an open dependency case in which the state Department of Child Services (DCS) has removed the children from the household. In Coconino County, it is estimated that 85% of family court cases involve a substance abuse allegation, requiring DCS to intervene.
This federal pass-through grant enables the County to provide substance abuse treatment support and fill a Peer Recovery Support Specialist position to provide lived-experience consultation to program participants.
“I want to thank our family court. This is another example of how Coconino County keeps families together for the well-being of the whole community,” said District 5 Supervisor Lena Fowler.
“This grant enables us to provide these necessary services in our community, with a goal of increasing the reunification rate of families separated by an open dependency case,” stated Coconino County Dependency Program Manager, Jillian Schuldt. “This program is different from other recovery courts as it provides treatment to the family as a whole.”
Statewide, counties with a similar court program see a family reunification rate over 90%, compared to a 50% rate when families are unable to participate.
Schuldt added that she anticipates the Family Treatment Court program to be fully implemented by spring of 2023. The grant fully funds the program through 2025.
Original source can be found here.
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