Polk County

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Polk County

• Family Drug Court

The Honorable Karla Fultz Todd Beveridge, M.S.W.,
M.S.
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Background

• First Iowa Drug Court began in Polk County in
  1996, followed by drug courts in four other
  counties
• These courts target convicted or admitted felons
  or misdemeanants who are drug dependent with no
  history of violence or weapon use

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Background

• Iowa has one Family Drug Court (begun in November
  of 2002) and it is atypical of the drug court
  system
• All of the participants have been referred to the
  Court following adjudication of the children to
  the Child in Need of Assistance (CINA) program
• Not all participants are convicted or admitted
  felons and misdemeanants

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Background

• Some of the women choose to participate to
  prevent termination of parental rights and others
  are involved as an effort to obtain custody of
  the child removed through the CINA program
• All of the women are court ordered after
  participation is mandated by provider

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Background

• Begun as a pilot program The foundations of the
  program were the CINA children on the docket of
  Judge Karla Fultz (Polk County Juvenile Court)
  whose mothers resided in one of House of Mercys
  residential treatment programs. No federal or
  state funding was used.

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Background

• Current program participants include
• House of Mercy clients (outpatients
  residential).
• Polk County Juvenile Court
• Assistant County Attorney
• Department of Human Services Case Manager
• Attorneys representing the mothers other
  advocates
• Clients of other treatment providers

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Purpose

• To foster and facilitate communication and
  collaboration between families, providers, and
  attorneys to aid parents in reunification with
  their children

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Requirements

• Parents with a Child in Need of Assistance
  Adjudication
• History of drug or alcohol problems as determined
  by a substance abuse evaluation resulting in a
  recommendation for treatment services at a
  minimum outpatient level of care

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Requirements

• Child or children out of parental custody with
  reunification as the goal
• Referrals made by Department of Human Resources
  Treatment Providers Attorney for children and
  parents and Juvenile Court Judges

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The Process

• The CINA system forms the basis of Family Drug
  Court and consists of the judge, county attorney,
  a guardian ad litem and attorney appointed for
  the child, the parents, an attorney for the
  parents, and child protective service worker with
  the Iowa Department of Human Services

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The Process

• A removal hearing to determine the safety of the
  child and the need for the removal from the home
• An adjudication hearing where the state is
  required to prove that the child is in need of
  assistance within the meaning of one or more of
  the CINA statutory grounds

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The Process

• A disposition hearing when the judge determines
  what service should be provided to the parent(s)
  to help them overcome whatever problems let to
  the need for adjudication and what service should
  be provide to the child
• A review hearing is held before the juvenile
  judge every six months so that the judge can
  review the progress of the parents, the condition
  of the child and the placement of the child (if
  the child was removed from the parents)

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The Process

• Family Drug Court review hearings are held every
  Wednesday from 900 to 1100
• The purpose of the hearings is to facilitate the
  timely communication between the providers,
  families, attorneys, and the court
• Outpatient and residential treatment participants
  initially attend weekly with the frequency
  decreasing as progress is made

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The Process

• The judge inquires into progress made and the
  need for additional and/or different services
• Personnel from House of Mercy, other providers
  and DHS are present to give information
• Attorneys for the children and parents are
  present and participate
• All women are present during the time that has
  been allotted for the review hearings

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Key Program Elements

• Judicial oversight and coordination of services
  to promote accountability, communication,
  collaboration, and reduce duplication of effort
• Intensive supervision of participants
• Evidenced/Best Practice-Based substance abuse
  counseling services

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Key Program Elements

• Non-adversarial approach
• Immediate response by the Court to the needs of
  the child and family
• Alcohol and drug testing
• Self-sufficiency emphasis and support
• Intensive parenting services and assistance
• Readily accessible child care support

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Key Program Elements

• Strength-Based treatment approach
• Long term support with permanent housing option

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Program Specifics

• Program capacity
• Duration

• 40 50 participants
• 12 24 months, focusing
• on recovery, parenting, education, job training
• compliance with
• treatment provider
• DHS court approved plans

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Program Specifics

• Drugs of Choice
• Marijuana 18
• Alcohol 6
• Cocaine 11
• Methamphetamine 71
• (some participants abuse multiple drugs)
• Average Education at admission is 10th grade.
• Average age at admission is 28 years old.

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Outcomes

• Participation
• Total of 116 families have participated or are
  participating.
• 32 families (27) of color
• 22 families currently involved
• Reunification Rate
• 82

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Outcomes

• Terminations have decreased
• Clean sober at program completion
• Self-sufficiency involvement
• Education
• Employment

• 50
• 82
• 95
• 47
• 48