2023 CODE OF GEORGIA › Title 15 - COURTS (§§ 15-1-1 — 15-25-3) › Chapter 11 - JUVENILE COURTS (§§ 15-11-1 — 15-11-747) › Article 2 - JUVENILE COURTS (§§ 15-11-50 — 15-11-71) › Section 15-11-70 - "Risk and needs assessment" defined; establishment of family treatment court division; procedures; fees; acceptance of grants or donations

(a)
(1)
As used in this subsection, the term "risk and needs assessment" means an actuarial tool, approved by the Council of Accountability Court Judges of Georgia and validated on a targeted population, scientifically proven to determine an individual's risk to recidivate and to identify criminal risk factors that, when properly addressed, can reduce such individual's likelihood of committing future criminal behavior.
(2)
Any juvenile court may establish a family treatment court division to provide an alternative to the traditional judicial system for the disposition of dependency cases and for assisting superior courts with criminal cases referred to such division under Code Section
15-11-15
. The goal of a family treatment court division is to:
(A)
Reduce alcohol or drug abuse and addiction for respondents in dependency proceedings;
(B)
Improve permanency outcomes for families when dependency is based in part on alcohol or drug use and addiction;
(C)
Increase the personal, familial, and societal accountability of respondents in dependency proceedings; and
(D)
Promote effective intervention and use of resources among child welfare personnel, law enforcement agencies, treatment providers, community agencies, and the courts.
(3)
In any criminal case transferred pursuant to Code Section
15-11-15
, when the defendant meets the eligibility criteria for the family treatment court division, such case may be assigned to the family treatment court division:
(A)
Prior to the entry of the sentence, if the prosecuting attorney consents;
(B)
As part of a sentence in a case; or
(C)
Upon consideration of a petition to revoke probation.
(4)
Each family treatment court division shall establish a planning group to develop a work plan. The planning group shall include the judges, prosecuting attorneys, special assistant attorneys general, public defenders, attorneys who represent children and parents, law enforcement officials, probation officers, community supervision officers, court appointed special advocates, guardians ad litem, DFCS employees, and other individuals having expertise in services available to families in dependency proceedings. The work plan shall address the operational, coordination, resource, information management, and evaluation needs of the family treatment court division. The work plan shall include family treatment court division policies and practices related to implementing the standards and practices developed pursuant to paragraph (5) of this subsection. The work plan shall ensure a risk and needs assessment is used to identify the likelihood of recidivating and identify the needs that, when met, reduce recidivism. The work plan shall include eligibility criteria for the family treatment court division. The family treatment court division shall combine judicial supervision, treatment of family treatment court division participants, drug testing, and mental health treatment.
(5)
(A)
The Council of Accountability Court Judges of Georgia shall establish standards and practices for family treatment court divisions, taking into consideration guidelines and principles based on current research and findings that are published by experts on family treatment health needs and treatment options in a dependency setting. Standards and practices shall include, but shall not be limited to, the use of a risk and needs assessment to identify the likelihood of recidivating and identify the needs that, when met, reduce recidivism. The Council of Accountability Court Judges of Georgia shall update its standards and practices to incorporate research, findings, and developments in the family treatment court field. Each family treatment court division shall adopt policies and practices that are consistent with the standards and practices published by the Council of Accountability Court Judges of Georgia.
(B)
The Council of Accountability Court Judges of Georgia shall provide technical assistance to family treatment court divisions to assist them with the implementation of policies and practices, including, but not limited to, guidance on the implementation of risk and needs assessments in family treatment court divisions.
(C)
The Council of Accountability Court Judges of Georgia shall create and manage a certification and peer review process to ensure family treatment court divisions are adhering to the Council of Accountability Court Judges of Georgia's standards and practices and shall create a waiver process for family treatment court divisions to seek an exception to the Council of Accountability Court Judges of Georgia's standards and practices. The Council of Accountability Court Judges of Georgia shall create a certification process to allow a court to demonstrate its need for additional state grant funds, as authorized by Code Section
15-11-52
, for one or more part-time judges to operate a family treatment court division. In order to receive state appropriated funds, any family treatment court division established on and after July 1, 2017, shall be certified pursuant to this subparagraph or, for good cause shown to the Council of Accountability Court Judges of Georgia, shall receive a waiver from the Council of Accountability Court Judges of Georgia.
(D)
On and after July 1, 2017, the award of any state funds for a family treatment court division shall be conditioned upon a family treatment court division attaining certification or a waiver by the Council of Accountability Court Judges of Georgia. On or before September 1, the Council of Accountability Court Judges of Georgia shall publish an annual report listing certified family treatment court divisions.
(E)
The Council of Accountability Court Judges of Georgia shall develop and manage an electronic information system for performance measurement and accept submission of performance data in a consistent format from all family treatment court divisions. The Council of Accountability Court Judges of Georgia shall identify elements necessary for performance measurement, including, but not limited to, the number of children reunited with participants in a family treatment court division, drug testing results, drug testing failures, participant employment, the number of participants who successfully complete the program, and the number of participants who fail to complete the program.
(F)
On or before July 1, 2017, and every three years thereafter, the Council of Accountability Court Judges of Georgia shall conduct a performance peer review of the family treatment court divisions for the purpose of improving family treatment court division policies and practices and the certification and recertification process.
(6)
A court instituting the family treatment court division may request any of the following individuals to serve in the family treatment court division:
(A)
One or more prosecuting attorneys designated by the prosecuting attorney for the jurisdiction;
(B)
A special assistant attorney general; or
(C)
One or more assistant public defenders designated by the public defender, if any.
(7)
The clerk of the juvenile court that is instituting the family treatment court division or such clerk's designee shall serve as the clerk of the family treatment court division.
(8)
The court instituting the family treatment court division may request community supervision officers, probation officers, and other employees of the court to perform duties for the family treatment court division. Such individuals shall perform duties as directed by the judges of the family treatment court division.
(9)
The court instituting the family treatment court division may enter into agreements with other courts and agencies for the assignment of personnel and probation supervision from other courts and agencies to the family treatment court division.
(10)
Expenses for salaries, equipment, services, and supplies incurred in implementing this Code section may be paid from state funds, funds of the county or political subdivision implementing such family treatment court division, federal grant funds, and funds from private donations.
(11)
A court instituting a family treatment court division shall comply with the periodic review process as required by Code Section
15-11-216
.
(b)
Each family treatment court division shall establish criteria which define the successful completion of the family treatment court division program. If the family treatment court division participant who was referred to the family treatment court division on a criminal charge by a superior court successfully completes the family treatment court division program, a report of such completion shall be communicated to the referring superior court judge.
(c)
Any statement made by a family treatment court division participant as part of participation in such court division, or any report made by the staff of such court division or program connected to such court division, regarding a participant's substance usage shall not be admissible as evidence against the participant in any legal proceeding or prosecution; provided, however, that, if the participant violates the conditions of his or her participation in the program or is terminated from the family treatment court division, the reasons for the violation or termination may be considered in sanctioning, sentencing, or otherwise disposing of the participant's case.
(d)
Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, family treatment court division staff shall be provided, upon request, with access to all records relevant to the treatment of the family treatment court division participant from any state or local government agency. All such records and the contents thereof shall be treated as confidential, shall not be disclosed to any person outside of the family treatment court division, and shall not be subject to Article 4 of Chapter 18 of Title 50, relating to open records, or subject to subpoena, discovery, or introduction into evidence in any civil or criminal proceeding. Such records and the contents thereof shall be maintained by the family treatment court division and originating court in a confidential file not available to the public.
(e)
Any fees received by a family treatment court division from a family treatment court division participant as payment for substance abuse treatment and services shall not be considered as court costs or a fine.
(f)
The court may have the authority to accept grants, donations, and other proceeds from outside sources for the purpose of supporting the family treatment court division. Any such grants, donations, or proceeds shall be retained by the family treatment court division for expenses.
Amended by 2023 Ga. Laws 353,§ 7, eff. 7/1/2023.
Amended by 2017 Ga. Laws 226,§ 1-2 and § 1-3, eff. 7/1/2017.
Added by 2016 Ga. Laws 460,§ 1-6, eff. 7/1/2016.