The National Center for State Courts (NCSC) Family-Centered Justice is a court-wide approach committed to focusing on the family unit though meaningful, strength-based and trauma-responsive engagement, intentional case coordination, and multidisciplinary support.  Similar to family-centered practice in child welfare, Family-Centered Justice promotes the value of family voice and family well-being.

The Family-Centered Justice program aims to transform the delivery of justice to children and families in courts throughout the United States by infusing effective family drug court principles into the broader family and dependency court system. The objective is to increase the capacity of state courts to intervene effectively with parents with substance use and/or co-occurring mental health disorders who are involved with the court as a result of child abuse and neglect issues. This program has the potential to impact of the lives of many children and families across the United States by supporting out-of-the-box solutions to address the shortcomings of traditional court processes. Through multi-disciplinary, collaborative work, participating jurisdictions will implement strategies believed to lead to improved outcomes for families impacted by parental substance use and child welfare involvement. The Family-Centered Justice funding opportunity is supported by SJI.

Family-Centered Justice Application Due Date: July 9th, 2021 at 5PM ET

Up to six sites will be selected to receive up to $50,000 in funding for a twelve-month project that includes a planning period. Applicants must demonstrate, at a minimum, buy-in from the courts, child welfare, and treatment. Selected grantees are expected to have a collaborative infrastructure in place that is capable of building the locality’s capacity to meet a broad range of needs for families involved with substance use disorder treatment, child welfare systems, court, and other service organizations. Grantees are expected to implement targeted approaches designed to increase well-being, improve permanency outcomes, and enhance the safety of children and families experiencing substance use disorders.

Access the Family-Centered Application
Access the full Family-Centered Solicitation and Application