OKDHS partner, Tulsa County Family Drug Court, named one of the nation's best

OKLAHOMA CITY -- The Tulsa County Family Drug Court (TCFDC) has been named one of the most successful drug courts in the nation by Children and Family Futures, an organization that works with child welfare and family judicial systems across the country.  

TCFDC began in November 1998 as a community sentencing court and helps offenders stay out of prison by offering treatment and counseling for substance abuse and addiction. The Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OKDHS) partners with TCFDC in an effort to protect children whose health and welfare may be adversely affected by the parental use of drugs.  

“Tulsa County OKDHS has three permanency workers who are designated to work with families and children assigned to the family drug court docket,” says Natalie Clark, OKDHS Tulsa County District Director. “The Tulsa County Family Drug Court has earned the distinction of being recognized as one of the nation’s leaders in helping parents successfully overcome drug and alcohol addictions, and that helps us reunite parents with their children.”

Clark says there are four phases a family must complete while in the program: engagement, treatment, community reintegration and independent living. The drug court program is designed to last a minimum of eighteen months and a maximum of three years. Participants are promoted from one phase to the next after they have completed milestones for each phase. 

Clark says the treatment programs offered through TCFDC help strengthen families. From January 2011 through September 2012, the federal government collected data from programs such as Children Affected by Meth (CAM), Strengthening Families Program (SFP), Celebrating Families Program (CFP), and the Center for Therapeutic Intervention (CTI). Clark says the data shows “OKDHS has successfully reunited parents and children almost three times faster than traditional child welfare cases. Since mid-2011, OKDHS has served approximately 128 parents and 163 children through this program and the families who complete the program successfully, have little or no re-entry into care.”

To learn more about the Tulsa County Family Drug Court, visit tulsacounty.org.

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