Intentional Integration: How to Identify and Support Parents with Co-Occurring Disorders  FTCs, like all drug courts, historically focused on treating substance use disorders (SUDs). However, FTCs cannot maintain this singular focus since 45% of adults with an SUD in the general population also live with a co-occurring mental health disorder. People with an untreated co-occurring disorder are less likely to [...]

Sustained Recovery: Don’t Make Aftercare an Afterthought Recovery is a process, and FTCs are a time-limited acute intervention in a family’s life. FTCs must blend aftercare planning into its program design to best support parents and their children after case closure. Aftercare plans, also known as “continuing care plans,” can provide parents with structure, accountability, and needed ongoing services [...]

Navigating Risk: Disrupting the Cycle of Substance Use for Children and Adolescents Substance use disorders can have a genetic component but are preventable. For adolescents with adverse childhood experiences, substance use may be a mechanism to cope with trauma or unaddressed socioemotional or mental health concerns. Fortunately, prevention science has advanced in recent decades. Evidence-based research now focuses on risk [...]