Family Treatment Drug Court Evaluation
The evaluation examined the effectiveness of family drug treatment courts in four court settings. The study employed a multi-method, quasi-experimental research design to document whether family treatment drug courts are more effective than traditional court settings in helping parents achieve sobriety and increasing the frequency of successful parent-child reunification.
The study investigated the key mediators of program success, including the effect of family treatment drug courts on treatment access, treatment completion, parent motivation, child and family well-being and other key mediators.
The study involved administrative data collection from court, child welfare, and treatment records as well as interview data collection with a subset of parents involved with the family treatment drug courts. The Suffolk and Washoe County evaluation used a within-county comparison group design, while the California evaluation design relied upon a time series analysis using comparison county data.
Project Team
Co-Principal Investigators Research StaffReports, Publications and Presentations
| Worcel, S. D., Furrer, C. J., Green, B. L., Burrus, S. W. M., & Finigan, M. W. (Nov. 2008). Effects of family treatment drug courts on substance abuse and child welfare outcomes. Child Abuse Review, 17(6), 427-443. Abstract |
| Green, B. L., Finigan, M. W., Worcel, S. D., Furrer, C. J., Burrus, S. W. M., Aborn, J. A., & Jones, B. (June 2007). Are Family Treatment Drug Courts Effective? Results from a four site national study. Presented at the National Association of Drug Court Professionals Annual Meeting, Washington, DC. Powerpoint |
| Finigan, M. W., Burrus, S. W. M., Carey, S. M., & Mackin, J. R. (May 2008). Family Drug Treatment Courts and Juvenile Drug Courts: Outcomes, Costs and Promising Practices. Powerpoint presented at the annual meeting of the National Association of Drug Court Professionals, St. Louis, MO. Powerpoint |
Worcel, S. D., Green, B. L., Furrer, C. J., Burrus, S. W. M., Finigan, M. W. (March 2007). Family Treatment Drug Court Evaluation: Final Report. NPC Research: Portland, OR. |
Green, B. L., Furrer, C. J., Worcel, S. D., Burrus, S. W. M., & Finigan, M. W. (Jan. 2007). How effective are Family Treatment Drug Courts? Results from a 4-site national study. Child Maltreatment, 12(1), 43-59. |
Green, B. L., Worcel, S. D., & Finigan, M. W. (June 2006). Family Treatment Drug Court National Evaluation Overview & Phase 1 Preliminary Results. NPC Research: Portland, OR. |
Worcel, S. D., Furrer, C. J., Green, B. L., & Rhodes, B. (June 2006). Family Treatment Drug Court Evaluation Final Phase I Study Report. NPC Research: Portland, OR. |
Green, B. L. (June 2006). Making Your Family Treatment Drug Court Evaluation Work. NPC Research: Portland, OR. |
