Family Treatment Drug Court (FTDC) is one of the most promising interventions for families involved in the child welfare system because of parental substance abuse. However, there are mixed feelings on the efficacy of FTDC on child welfare outcomes. This 2019 examined seventeen FTDC interventions with a total of 3402 participants enrolled in FTDC and 3683 comparison participants.
Overall, the reunification rate of FTDC participants was nearly two times higher than non-FTDC participants. However, there was no difference between FTDC and non-FTDC participants when it came to the risk of foster care reentry or child maltreatment re-report. Additionally, reunification rates improved over time suggesting that FTDC programs have improved over time. Future studies should examine the risk of foster care reentry for FTDC participants. The child welfare system should also consider enhancing follow-up services for those who have graduated from FTDC to prevent reentry into foster care.
Zhang, S., Huang, H., Wu, Q., Li, Y., & Liu, M. (February 01, 2019). The impacts of family treatment drug court on child welfare core outcomes: A meta-analysis. Child Abuse & Neglect, 88, 1-14.