FAMILY DRUG TREATMENT COURTS AND SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH¹

Abstract

Therapeutic courts targeting recovery in parents and child permanency are known as family dependency treatment courts (FDTCs). FDTCs provide an example of a multi-component intervention which addresses some social determinants of health. The goal of this manuscript is to examine how key ingredients of FDTCs are related to social determinants of health and the potential for this framework to be integrated into FDTCs. A specific FDTC is described and evidence-based wrap services are used to illustrate opportunities to improve the health of women and children involved in FDTCs. Barriers and recommendations are discussed.

Measuring Client Satisfaction and Engagement: The Role of a Mentor Parent Program in Family Drug Treatment Court

“…Effective engagement strategies address parent priorities and needs; offer practical help; assist in navigating complex systems; provide supportive and culturally relevant relationships; include parents in planning and decision‐making; and foster organizational practices that are family‐centered, inclusive, and culturally responsive (Kemp et al., ). However, research shows that families involved in FDTCs and the child welfare system face multiple individual and institutional barriers to engaging in services, including poverty and lack of basic resources such as stable housing, employment opportunities, transportation, and adequate food; parental struggles with addiction or mental health issues; the adversarial nature of the child welfare system; stigma, marginality and social isolation of parents; heavy caseworker caseloads; difficulty with system navigation; provider mistrust and lack of understanding of other agencies' perspectives and goals; and inconsistent collaboration between the multiple systems in which child welfare clients are involved (Green, Rockhill, & Burns, ; Kemp et al., ; Marcenko, Brown, DeVoy, & Conway, ; Rockhill, Green, & Newton‐Curtis, ; York et al., ). Interventions designed to enhance client engagement appear to strengthen connection to services, family functioning, and child welfare outcomes for families involved in FDTC (Dakof et al., ; Dakof, Cohen, & Duarte, )…”

Addressing Gaps in Mental Health Needs of Diverse, At-Risk, Underserved, and Disenfranchised Populations: A Call for Nursing Action

“…IIa Develop partnerships that represent systems thinking and critical analysis essential for working in collaboration to address underlying determinants of health (York et al, 2012). IIb Take an interprofessional approach to achieving health equity as recommended by Healthy People 2020, recognizing the essential role of communities, states, and national organizations and including monitoring health services trends (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2012).…”