Juvenile Collaborative Courts

BEHAVIOR HEALTH COURT (BHC)

BHC is a rehabilitation program for youth presenting with a mental disability. Partners from the Juvenile Court, Public Defender, District Attorney, STAT (Stabilization, Treatment, Assessment and Transition) program, Vista Hill Clinic, and Probation Department make up the BHC team. The program’s objective is to enroll participants in individualized mental health programs that utilize a community treatment approach and support youth in successfully managing their mental health needs.

DEPENDENCY DRUG COURT (DDC)

Dependency Drug Court (DDC) is a collaborative effort by the Juvenile Court, Health and Human Services (HHSA)/Child Welfare Services (CWS), and Vista Hill to assist parents who are affected by drug and alcohol use and who have an open case in a juvenile dependency court. The objective of this collaborative court is to provide intensive oversight and motivational support to encourage participant success towards long-term sobriety.

DUAL STATUS YOUTH COURT

Dual status youth (also referred to as “crossover youth”) are youth who encounter both the child welfare and juvenile justice systems and have open cases in the juvenile dependency and juvenile justice courts. This court incorporates a multi-disciplinary team approach in assisting youth who have complex needs. The objective of this collaborative court is to improve outcomes for dually involved youth by addressing systemic barriers to meet their needs and support their success.

EXTENDED FOSTER CARE (EFC) COURT

EFC provides support to foster youth up until the age of 21. EFC allows the juvenile court to retain jurisdiction over nonminor dependents (young adults 18 to 21 years old) to assist in their transition to adulthood. Each youth has a team of professionals to assist with housing, employment, mental health, substance use treatment, and educational needs. The objective of this collaborative court is to reduce homelessness and other negative outcomes for youth who are transitioning into adulthood.

RESILIENCY IS STRENGTH and EMPOWERMENT (RISE) COURT

RISE Court is a collaborative, engaged, and trauma-informed court that uses a multi-disciplinary team approach to address the complex needs of youth who may have a history of, or may be at risk for, commercial sexual exploitation. This court requires family engagement to support the success of at-risk youth. The objective of this collaborative court is to assist youth in addressing their trauma while developing life skills for success.