Welcome to the Family Treatment Court

The Family Treatment Court (FTC) is a voluntary Juvenile Court program designed to support families affected by parental substance use. By offering structured treatment services, judicial oversight, and community support, the FTC helps parents achieve stable recovery, strengthen family bonds, and work toward reunification.

The PATHS Family Treatment Court project (Prevention and Treatment for the Health and Stability of Children and Families)¹ is a component of the Pathways initiative of the Administrative Office of the Juvenile Court. This project is informed by the Family Treatment Court Best Practice Standards issued by the Center for Children and Family Futures and the National Association of Drug Court Professionals.²

The Family Treatment Court (FTC) is a unique voluntary Juvenile Court session to provide therapeutic support to families where parental substance misuse affects parenting. It is open to parents (over age 18) who have a Care and Protection (CP) case pending in the Juvenile Court.³

The goal of the Family Treatment Court is to provide access to structured, supportive treatment services and judicial oversight to allow a Participating Parent to achieve stable recovery from substance use disorder, reclaim a life of meaning and purpose, and to build a brighter future for themself and their children. The Family Treatment Court assists children, parents and family members in accessing the services they need for the family to reunify. We use a Recovery Capital model which focuses attention not just on substance use disorder, but also on physical and mental health, housing and food security, community support and connection.

The Family Treatment Court is a collaborative effort of the court, substance use disorder and mental health treatment providers, the Department of Children and Families (DCF), the Committee for Public Counsel Services (CPCS), and health and community social services. The Family Treatment Court team works to provide early access to comprehensive care, including peer support, with the goal of helping families achieve and maintain reunification.

1. The project is supported by Grant #15PJDP-21-GK-04497-DGCT awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication/ program/exhibition are those of the Massachusetts Trial Court.
2. Center for Children and Family Futures and National Association of Drug Court Professionals. (2019). Family Treatment Court Best Practice Standards. Prepared for the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) Office of Justice Programs (OJP), U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).
3. For the period the FTC is supported by grant # #15PJDP-21-GK-04497-DGCT awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. Per 34 USC § 10612, any court that receives funds under this program may not permit participation by violent offenders. 34 USC § 10613 (a) defines a ‘violent offender’ as a person who is (1) charged with or convicted of an offense that is punishable by a term of imprisonment exceeding one year, during the course of which offense or conduct (A) the person carried, possessed or used a firearm or dangerous weapon; (B) there occurred the death of or serious bodily injury to any person; or (C) there occurred the use of force against the person or another, without regard to whether any of the circumstances described in subparagraph (A) or (B) is an element of the offense or conduct of which or for which the person is charged or convicted; or (2) has 1 or more prior convictions for a felony crime of violence involving the use or attempted use of force against a person with the intent to cause death or serious bodily harm.

Last updated:	January 1, 2024