The cherokee county juvenile court proposes to establish a family treatment court (FTC) to improve the lives of families with dependency allegations arising from parental substance abuse

The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners was awarded a $363,847 Project Grant from the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention under the Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and other Substances Use Program (CFDA 16.838). The funding will be used to establish a Family Treatment Court (FTC) in Cherokee County, Georgia to improve the lives of families affected by parental substance abuse. The FTC will provide trauma-informed, evidence-based substance abuse treatment and parenting services, expedite screening, connect parents to treatment, coordinate visitation and parenting programs, and monitor abstinence. Expected outcomes include reduced substance misuse, decreased time children spend in foster care, and permanent family reunification. Project activities will include forming a multidisciplinary FTC team, implementing evidence-based treatment and parenting programs, providing judicial supervision, and connecting families with community recovery resources. The project period is 18-24 months, running from October 1, 2023 through September 30, 2026.

The cherokee county FTC will provide trauma-informed, evidence-based substance abuse treatment and parenting services. Using the eight key components of FTC as a guide, the multidisciplinary team will expedite the screening process, efficiently connectparents and caregivers with treatment services, coordinate visitation and parenting programs, and monitor abstinence through random drug screens and field visits, while tracking progress in a central data management system. The cherokee county FTC is an 18-to-24-month program. Expected outcomes include a reduction in misuse of substances, a decrease in the length of time children spend in foster care placement, and permanent reunification. Project activities will include establishing a multidisciplinary FTC team, implementing evidenced-based treatment and parenting programs, providing ongoing judicial supervision, and connecting families with community resources to build recovery capital. Areas served include acworth, woodstock, canton, ball ground, waleska, nelson, and holly springs. The overall premise of the cherokee county juvenile courts mission is to protect the long-term safety of the local community and ensure a brighter future for its citizens.