Suffolk County Family Treatment Drug Court Treatment Court

UCS operates adult drug treatment courts throughout the state. Family drug treatment courts identify parents who have a dependency petition filed against them in which alcohol and/or substance abuse contributed to the neglect of their children. A drug court involves an intervention by the court in cooperation with a team of specialists in social services, treatment, and child welfare professionals in the local community. In return enhanced services and support for family re-unification respondents are given the option of entering voluntarily into court- supervised treatment.

Coordination of court, treatment and social services to participants requires a specialized combination of expertise with the justice, substance use, mental health, and social services communities.

The Suffolk County Family Treatment Drug Court (FTDC) will expand the “Families Overcoming Crisis Through Unified Services” (FOCUS) program to include the older siblings of children aged birth to six years old who are affected by parents who have a child neglect case in Suffolk County due to alcohol or substance abuse.  By the end of the grant, 175 families (35 annually) will be offered services.

The Focus program will expand substance use disorder treatment by:

(1) conducting comprehensive early assessments and psychosocial evaluations for families;

(2)  strengthening outreach, identification, and treatment services for court-involved parents and children of all ages; and

(3) utilize Child Parent Psychotherapy and the Strengthening Families program, both evidence-based interventions that support and strengthen the relationship between the child and their parent. 

Other services that may be needed include but are not limited to:

• Implementation of evidence-based case coordination practices; and
• Integration of All Rise[1] adult drug court

[1] Adult Drug Court Best Practice Standards - Vol 1 | SAMHSA