"Providing Judicial Supervision and Communicty Services"
The Durham County Youth Treatment Court (DYTC) is a treatment program designed to provide judicial supervision, address substance abuse issues and support the strengths and needs of families. The DYTC utilizes a number of community resources combined with various treatment models to formulate a comprehensive case plan for substance abusing youths. DYTC can be offered to a youth offender and his/her family if the youth has either admitted or have been determined to have a substance abuse problem and their behavior will not jeopardize the safety of the other youths and/or staff.
When a youth is referred to the program, they will meet with the DYTC case coordinator, who will conduct an interview with the youth and family to help determine if the treatment court program is an appropriate option. The treatment team is notified of the referral and thee case is then staffed at the next treatment team meeting. If appropriate, the team will decide which treatment model is best for the youth.
DYTC consists of three primary parts: judicial supervision, treatment, and educational programs/skills building.
Judicial Supervision includes bi-weekly court appearances where the Judge assumes the role of confessor, taskmaster, cheerleader, mentor and sometimes confidant. The Judge is updated prior to court regarding the youth's progress and is able to reward success, thus providing additional motivation, and to sanction non-compliance thereby discouraging poor choices. The courtroom becomes a therapeutic environment supporting the positive choices of the youth and recognizing and supporting the strengths and efforts of the parents/guardians. The Judge will respond to drug use or other violations by the youth with immediate sanctions that are behavior specific, addressing the youth's conduct.
Treatment is comprised of a variety of community resources offering various treatment models to develop a specific plan for each youth and his/her family. It can include residential treatment, intensive outpatient treatment and intensive in-home treatment. There will be multiple therapist-family contacts occurring each week, and gradually lessening the contacts as the youth and family progress through the different phases.
Education and Skills Development will provide the youth and parents with tools to set and achieve family-specific treatment goals.
The DYTC Phases
Phase I - The most restrictive phase. The main objective is to provide stabilization.
Phase II - A less restrictive phase. The main objective is to provide education and assist with identifying positive peer groups, etc.
Phase II - The least restrictive phase. The main objective is to connect the youth with the community and to promote relapse prevention.
After care - The main objective is to continue healthy maintenance within the community.
Completion of the DYTC is celebrated with a graduation ceremony.
For more information on the Durham County Youth Treatment Court, contact:
Maria Lewis
Durham County Youth Treatment Court Case Coordinator
Office of the Trial Court Administrator
201 E. Main Street, Suite 278
Durham, NC 27701
Phone: (919) 564-7206
Fax: (919)560-6877
Treatment Team Members
| Judge Marcia H. Morey |
Office of Juvenile Justice
Sheila Peterkin, Liaison |
Attorney Austine Hamilton |
| The Durham Center |
Office of the District Attorney
Rachel Botts, Asst. Dist. Atty. |
The Criminal Justice Resource Center |
| TRIUMPH |
Methodist Home For Children |
The Durham County Youth Home |
| Parenting of Adolescents |
Carolina Behavioral Health Clinic |
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