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From the Chief Judge and Clerk of Circuit Court, requesting authorization to accept a three-year grant from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Justice Programs (OJP), Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), in the amount of $650,000 to implement the Milwaukee County Family Drug Treatment Court. (Referred to the Committees on Health and Human Needs and Finance and Audit.)
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[Background
On May 5, 2011 the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention released a Family Drug Court Programs grant with a deadline of June 20, 2011. On Friday, September 2, 2011, Milwaukee County received notice from OJJDP (Award Number, 2011-DC-BX-0001) awarding Milwaukee County a $650,000 three year grant for the period of October 1, 2011 through August 30, 2014 to support the Milwaukee County Family Drug treatment Court.
FDTC was developed by the Milwaukee County Children's Court, Behavioral Health Division (BHD) District Attorney's Office, and Wisconsin Bureau of Milwaukee Child Welfare in an effort to improve timely and effective identification, assessment and treatment of women whose substance abuse has resulted in placement of their child in out of home care.
The FDTC targets mothers or female legal guardians of children with a priority on new emergency detentions in which the child is age 0-12. FDTC will be an integrated family court with jurisdiction over the Child in Need of Protection and/or Services proceeding and the 4-phase FDTC program. Once engaged in this voluntary program, 94 participants (over 3 years) will enroll in substance abuse treatment through BHD's provider network, receive recovery support services for health care, housing, education, employment, and transportation, adhere to the FDTC Phase requirements, lasting 6 to 12 months, including weekly court appearances, random drug tests, visitation, reunification conditions, incentives and sanctions. Treatment engagement and retention, completion of phases, graduation, and family reunification are outcomes. An independent evaluator will gather child welfare, treatment, and court information into a coordinated database for quarterly and annual reporting.
Fiscal Impact
Increase of $650,000 over a three year period in operating expenditures in Org. unit 2863 for the period of October 1, 2011 through September 30, 2014. These expenditures will be offset by an increase in federal revenues from the Department of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, award number 2011-DC-BX-0001. The grant for the Milwaukee County Family Drug Treatment Court will be distributed as follows: $216,000 each year for the first two years and $218,000 for the third and final year.
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