FAMILY TREATMENT DRUG COURT

The purpose of the Family Treatment Drug Court program is to protect infants and children up to age 18 who are exposed to parent(s) illegal use of drugs and alcohol and whose health and welfare may be adversely affected by parental use of drugs and/or alcohol, to strengthen the family unit, to enhance parental capacity to meet the health and developmental needs of their children and to expedite permanency for infants and children in state care.

These objectives can best be accomplished through a court-based collaborative Family Treatment Drug Court program that quickly identifies and assesses drug-exposed infants, provides substance-abuse treatment for parents, develops comprehensive multi-disciplinary case plans for families, ensures intensive case monitoring, and provides for frequent court supervision of court orders, case plan compliance and progress in treatment.

The Family Court collaborates with the specialists in Women & Infants Hospital's Vulnerable Infants Program (VIP), whose expertise and experience with this population is critical to ensuring the mothers, children and other family members receive the appropriate and necessary services in a timely fashion to assist in a safe and healthy reunification and/or permanency placement for the infant.

The focus of the Family Treatment Drug Court is the best interest of the child, while addressing the needs of the mother, father and the family.  This program is a model that effectively and efficiently processes abuse and neglect cases for both parents and children.  It  provides parents with the necessary skills to become effective parents, provide a safe and stable home environment and, ultimately, provide these children with a better opportunity of becoming productive members of society.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Chief Judge Jeremiah S. Jeremiah, Jr.  458-5300
jjeremiah@courts.ri.gov

Magistrate Jeanne Shepard                  458-5310
jshepard@courts.ri.gov

Kevin Richard, Truancy Court Administrator   458-5028
krichardi@courts.ri.gov

Linda Lynch, Executive Director                 458-5026
llynch@courts.ri.gov