The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) has released Juvenile Drug Treatment Court Guidelines. Juvenile drug treatment courts are designed for youth with substance use disorders who come into contact with the juvenile justice system. These courts offer a way to respond to the needs of substance using youth and treat their complex disorders, which require specialized interventions. OJJDP partnered with a research team, experts in the field, and other federal agencies to develop evidence-based, treatment-oriented guidelines to support judges and professional court staff, youth with substance use disorders, and their families. OJJDP is also planning to support courts in the implementation and testing of these guidelines through training and technical assistance and programmatic initiatives.
The National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) staff members worked closely with OJJDP and the American Institutes for Research to help develop the Guidelines by providing an important historical perspective, as well as the viewpoint from the field as the current national technical assistance providers for juvenile drug treatment courts.
The Guidelines, which are research-based, represent the next evolution of juvenile drug treatment courts and will be a vital tool for these courts now and in the future.
Resources:
- Learn more about the development of OJJDP’s Juvenile Drug Treatment Court Guidelines.
- Learn more about OJJDP’s Juvenile Drug Court program.
- Learn about evaluated juvenile drug court programs in OJJDP’s Model Programs Guide.
- Visit the NCJFCJ website for training, technical assistance, and publications.