Benton County commissioners voted to approve a preliminary application to the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission (CJC) to support creation of a Family Treatment Court (FTC) aimed at families involved in the juvenile dependency system.

The motion – to approve a preliminary application in coordination with the Oregon Judicial Department and to return the final application for board review before the July 1, 2025 deadline – was moved and seconded and passed by voice vote.

Judge Donahue explained that a family treatment court operates within the juvenile dependency system rather than the criminal-justice system and focuses on parents whose substance use disorders have led to child removal by the Department of Human Services (DHS). “The goal is to identify individuals in the juvenile dependency system who have substance use disorders … and provide them treatment and services to facilitate return of their children and reduce future dependency,” Judge Donahue said.

County and judicial staff told commissioners the FTC has been under development for more than a year, that memoranda of understanding and operating plans are in process, and that the program is currently planning for an initial capacity of eight participants. Staff said Benton County DHS already holds limited DHS startup family treatment court funds that could be released once participants are enrolled.

Commissioners heard that the CJC grant is a state-level program aimed at sustainability funding for specialty courts and that the preliminary CJC narrative deadline is March 20, 2025 with a final application due July 1, 2025. Staff said the county would function as grant administrator if the award is made and that county services beyond grant management are not anticipated at this stage.

Commissioners asked about contingency plans if state funding is not awarded. Judge Donahue and staff said the FTC is more likely to be funded through state CJC mechanisms than the competitive federal BJA grants; they added that, if necessary, the program could run at reduced capacity using DHS startup funds and local Medicaid-reimbursable services, though it would not match the full-service model.

Votes at a glance: The board approved a preliminary CJC application to support creation of a Family Treatment Court by voice vote; the motion included a commitment that the final application would return to the board before the July 1, 2025 deadline.