The Montgomery County Family Treatment Court, was recently awarded a three year grant that will be used to improve the safety and well-being of children caught up in the opioid epidemic.
To get the details on how the grant will help, WYSO's Jerry Kenney spoke with Juvenile Court Judge Tony Capizzi, who oversees the program.
Additional information from Montgomery County:
"The mission of Family Treatment Court is to ensure children are raised in a nurturing and healthy environment with parents who are drug free. Substance abuse, particularly heroin, is a significantly growing problem in Ohio. Between 2009 and 2013, Montgomery County saw a striking 132% increase in child welfare cases where opiates were noted as reason for action. The State of Ohio spends an estimated $45 million annually for placement costs of children due to parental use of drugs.
Nationally, reunification rates are approximately 20-40% higher for Family Treatment Courts than the comparison group, and treatment completion rates are 20-30% higher. In addition, children of Family Treatment Court participants spend less time in out-of-home placements, averaging fewer months in foster care.
This grant funded project will be a collaborative partnership between Montgomery County Juvenile Court, Montgomery County Children Services, and Case Western Reserve University."
