Family Treatment Court Will Help North Carolina Parents Regain Custody

Wayne Family Treatment Court, beginning in North Carolina in July, will provide a second chance for parents who lost custody of their children due to substance abuse problems.

Up to 12 participants will make a commitment of 12 to 18 months to the Wayne County program, undergoing drug tests, attending support group meetings, and receiving intensive case management. In addition to assistance with housing, employment, and substance abuse and mental health problems, participants will also receive education in parenting skills.

Twice a month, the parents will appear at family court sessions where District Court Judge Rose Williams will review their progress. Ultimately, Williams decides whether to restore custody or permanently remove parental rights.

Approximately 75 percent of child abuse or neglect cases in the Wayne County foster care system involve parents with substance abuse problems, according to Social Services Director Judy Pelt.

Loss of child custody can also result in unforeseen consequences, such as lost eligibility for financial aid, Food Stamps, Medicaid or public housing, Pelt explained.

The traditional court model requires people "to get housing or jobs when they need to be focused on getting treatment for their addictions," said Jack St. Clair, director of the treatment provider Eastpointe.

Research indicates that graduates of family drug treatment courts are more likely to regain custody and less likely to neglect or abuse their children than those in the traditional court system.

(6/10/2005)