Discuss, consider and take appropriate action on a Resolution authorizing the Williamson County District Courts to submit an application for the Family Recovery Court to the Office of the Governor, Public Safety Office (PSO) for a Specialty Court Grant Program, FY2022 Project, designating the County Judge as the official authorized to apply for the grant, and designating the Williamson County Judge, with approval of the Williamson County Commissioner’s Court, as the official authorized to accept, reject, alter, or terminate the grant, and providing assurance that, in the event of loss or misuse of grant funds Williamson County will return all funds to the Office of the Governor.

This agenda item seeks the Court's approval of Williamson County Courts' grant application to the Office of Governor in order to request funding to support creation of the Family Recovery Court. This grant does not require a match. The Court will recall that this we sought this grant in 2020.  Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Office of Governor did not award any grant funding in this category.  The need for this program remains, and so we are submitting this request. 

These funds will allow for creation of the Family Recovery Court, a joint effort of the courts hearing Child Protection Cases in Williamson County, presided over by Judge Ryan Larson, Judge Betsy Lambeth, and Judge Brandy Hallford. 

The FRC model is a novel approach to addressing child protection cases. Williamson County's Family Recovery Court is an alternative to the traditional processing of Child Protective Services (herein "CPS") cases involving substance abuse. Based on evidence and best practices, the Family Recovery Court will apply a non-adversarial, collaborative approach and utilize a multidisciplinary team including the presiding judge, Department of Family Protective Services (herein "DFPS") , prosecutors, attorney and guardian ad litem, case-managers, treatment providers, and existing community resources, including faith-based providers (herein the "Family Recovery Collaborative Team" -FRCT). The Family Recovery Court will utilize incentives and graduated sanctions to reinforce positive behavior and hold parents and primary caregivers (herein "parents") accountable during their participation in the program.

The Family Recovery Court will focus on cases of abuse or neglect involving parents suffering from substance abuse disorders and any other co-occurring disorders. These cases will focus on families where a removal of the child has occurred. The Family Recovery Court Team will help provide better outcomes for families involved in these cases by providing problem-solving court services to the child and parents. To graduate, participating parents must demonstrate continuous level of abstinence from drugs and alcohol for a sustainable long-term recovery, satisfy treatment and safety concerns, and demonstrate the establishment of a healthy household for their children.

A key element of this implementation is tracking the effectiveness and the impact of the program. We believe that, supported by the OOG grant, we will prove the effectiveness of the FRC model and make a significant positive impact on families in Williamson County. Our intent is to acquire full financial support for the program through this grant at inception and for as long as OOG Grant Funding may be available.