Bill funds family recovery court programs to prevent foster placement, address substance use

Family recovery courts address the underlying issue of substance use in certain cases, but some lawmakers worry the funding for these programs is unstable. A House committee approved legislation to create a fund for the nearly two dozen family recovery courts serving Indiana.

Recovery courts are considered problem-solving courts which try to address underlying issues like substance use or mental health. Family recovery courts handle cases with Children In Need of Services where a parent or guardian’s substance use is central to the case.

House Bill 1107 would establish a stable fund for family recovery courts.

Brittany Jackson, a graduate of an Indiana family recovery court program, said the program gave her the tools to reach recovery for herself and for her son.

“Every court hearing wasn't about punishment,” Jackson said. “It was about progress. They celebrated my wins, no matter how small. And when I struggled, they didn't give up on me.”

Jackson said when the state removed her son from her care, she was “shattered.” She said the family recovery court program was a lifeline.

The structure of the program involves the courts, law enforcement, social services and community partners. Some people in the family recovery courts model may have met with a judicial officer on a weekly, bi-weekly or monthly basis depending on what part of their program they are in.

READ MORE: A look inside Allen County's Drug Court program
 

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Daniel Petrie, the judge of the Montgomery County Family Recovery Court, said the ideal for these programs is to give families the long-term tools to maintain success.

“The goal is to prevent foster placement, to prevent termination of parental rights cases, all of which are a significant expense to the state, and then preventing recidivism of these families,” Petrie said.

Jackson said within seven months, her Department of Child Services case was closed — a milestone she said she thought was impossible. Last year, she graduated from her family recovery court program.

“I am preparing to celebrate three years of sobriety, three years of growth, healing, and proving to myself that I am capable of change,” Jackson said. “Three years of being present for my son, my family, and my future. This journey hasn't been easy, but every struggle, every lesson and every moment of self-discovery has been worth it.”

HB 1107 would allow for continued growth that would support establishing new courts. It would also allow the state to direct National Opioid Settlement money to the programs.
 

Abigail is our health reporter. Contact them at aruhman@wboi.org.