Family Drug Courts: An Innovation of Transformation offers a wealth of information about the struggles of real people who have been drawn into the court system and have lost their children due to substance abuse. You will read about their personal journeys and a courtroom that gave them hope, and then gave them their lives and their children back. This book is for the professional who works with these families. It is for anyone that wants to get a front-row seat to what happens in this ordinarily confidential setting and for those who have had their own battle with mental health and addiction. This book is full of inspiration, and it contains a model for change that can transform individuals and communities everywhere.
The Benchbook for Family Courts on Substance Use Disorders, Second Edition, is an important reference work that provides every family court professional with valuable information to guide decision-making in family law cases. Substance use disorders (SUDs) are some of the most critical and pervasive public health problems of our time. A traditional family law decision-making process issues a judgment on legal issues, but often courts do not account for the nonlegal issue of addiction, which may be a root cause of a family’s legal problems. Judges, attorneys, court staff, and other professionals working with families may not have a complete and current understanding of SUDs, their causes, the symptoms and available treatments. Without that understanding, both the families and the court system are destined to a revolving door of repeat court appearances and unresolved family crises. The Benchbook is an essential reading and reference book that provides valuable insights into the science of addiction, the treatment of SUDs, how SUDs affect children and families in many family law cases, and how family courts can intervene in ways that lead to better outcomes. The good news is that with a recognized neurobiological basis for substance use disorders, there is potential for recovery. Evidence-based interventions can prevent harmful substance use and related problems, and the courts have considerable power to influence individuals suffering from these disorders
