Court Programs
Contact: April Robinson, Family Treatment Court and Behavioral Health Court Program Coordinator arobinson@newtoncountyga.gov
1) Family Treatment Court
The Newton County Family Treatment Court (FTC) is a program that is an alternative to the traditional court proceedings used in dependency cases. The program is designed to aid parents or guardians in achieving sobriety, to address any co-occurring mental health issues, and to limit foster care stays through ongoing case monitoring and expedited, informed permanency planning. FTC strives to ensure the safety and well-being of children and facilitate family reunification.
A team of professionals , including the Judge, work together to support the parent or guardian in achieving their goals of successfully completing their court-ordered case plan and reunification with their child(ren).
Mission Statement: The mission of the Newton County Family Treatment Court is to improve the lives of children and their families by addressing the dependency resulting from substance use of a parent or guardian.
Goals: Family Treatment Court is a program that is designed to meet the comprehensive needs of families who have substance abuse, mental health, and dependency issues.
The primary goals are:
- The protection, best interests, and permanency of children
- The promotion of safe and stable families through abstinence from alcohol and illicit drugs
- The promotion of law-abiding behavior in the interest of public safety while addressing the comprehensive needs of parents and children
- Targeting permanency for children who have been exposed to parental substance abuse.
2) Behavioral Health Court
The Juvenile Behavioral Health Court is a collaborative model of service delivery which utilizes an interdisciplinary and integrated team approach to treatment for youth with serious emotional disorders and/or substance use issues who are involved in the juvenile justice system and require specialized, supported care to remain in the community. This service delivery model focuses on the provision of comprehensive behavioral interventions designed to assist and empower the family in achieving individualized goals tailored to meet their needs, thus ensuring the safety of the community, and reducing recidivism thereby strengthening families and communities.
Mission Statement: The mission of the Newton County Juvenile Behavioral Health Court is to provide immediate intervention, integrated treatment, and structure in the lives of youth with mental health and or substance use needs, and to provide program participants with comprehensive services to allow them to become productive, responsible citizens.
Goals:
- Improve youth’s level of functioning in their environment, address problems that may be contributing to their mental illness and develop/strengthen their ability to lead productive lives.
- Strengthen families of youth by improving their capability to provide structure and guidance to their children as well as empowering them to understand treatment needs and options.
- Improve community safety by collaborating with and linking families to community resources to aid youth in becoming law-abiding contributors to Newton County.
- Promote accountability of youth offenders, their families, and those who provide services to them.
The Evening Reporting Center (ERC) is an evening program designed to provide an alternative to detention or incarceration for juveniles who are on probation or have been referred due to delinquent charges. The goal is to provide youth with an opportunity for personal growth, rehabilitation, and therapeutic treatment. The ERC program has six courses: Conflict Resolution, Anger Management, Life Skills, Mental Health, Gun Violence Safety, and Goal Planning for success. Juveniles can be referred to all courses or just one depending on their individual needs and background.
4) Juvenile Prevention and Intervention Grant (JPIG)
The Juvenile Prevention and Intervention Grant (JPIG) is a grant-funded program that works with youth who are first time offenders. The program aims to reduce detention rates in Newton County by providing evidence-based programming for the offender and parent. The JPIG program consists of eight mandatory groups and two family activity days. Upon successful completion of the program, the offender is able to have their charges dismissed.
Alcovy CASA Program – Court-Appointed Special Advocates
A Court Appointed Special Advocate is a trained community volunteer who is appointed by a judge to advocate for an abused or neglected child in juvenile court proceedings. A CASA makes independent recommendations to the court for services which focus on meeting the needs of each child. For more information about becoming a CASA volunteer, contact:
Alcovy CASA Program
Serving Newton and Walton Counties
Lindsay Dycus, Executive Director
1124 Clark Street
Covington, GA, 30014
Ph: 770-385-7450
Fax: 770-385-7448
Email: alcovycasa@aol.com