The Jefferson County Family Integrated Treatment (FIT) Court has been selected by Children and Families Futures and Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) as a National Peer Learning Court (PLC). Out of 450 family drug courts across the country, Jefferson County FIT Court is one of an elite group of eight to receive this honor. With more than 10 years under its belt, the hard work and effort of the FIT court teams and the families that have succeeded through the process contributed to this designation.
FIT Court is a voluntary, family-based program within the dependency and neglect system, and created to work with parents and children who have become involved with the Children, Youth, and Families Division because of child abuse or neglect that is directly related to the parent’s substance abuse. The purpose of FIT Court is to offer families treatment, services, and support to establish and maintain sobriety and provide safety for their child(ren).
Others will be learning from Jefferson County's example – not just other Family Drug Courts, but state and county child welfare and court systems will be looking at Jeffco's example in serving families affected by substance use disorder.
“Our FIT Court is honored to have received this designation,” said Judge Ann Meinster, Presiding Juvenile Judge in the 1st Judicial District. “I am excited not only for what this means for FIT Court, but for what it means to our continued efforts to implement the Dependency and Neglect System Reform (DANSR) approach with its continuum of care in all of our substance abuse disorder cases.”
This designation was made official on March 15, 2018.