Eligibility
Parents are eligible for the Family Recovery Program (FRP) if:
- They are the parent or legal guardian of a child (or children) five years old or younger who has been placed in shelter care for a least one night and has never been found to be a Child in Need of Assistance (CINA).
- Substance abuse is a factor for the removal of a child or children.
- The parent or legal guardian is physically present at court for referral.
Court referral process
An eligible parent or legal guardian may only be referred into the FRP by a judge or master under the following circumstances:
Voluntary referral
The period immediately following the initial removal of a child or children is when a parent or guardian can receive immediate substance abuse treatment, case management, and supportive services to establish immediate as well as lasting sobriety.
Parents and guardians may voluntarily request to be referred into the FRP at the following CINA
court hearings:
- a. Shelter care hearings
- b. Preliminary hearings
- c. CINA adjudicatory hearings
- d. CINA dispositional hearings
- e. FRP Friday court hearings
30-Day Exception
Eligible parents or guardians may not voluntarily request to enter the FRP after the dispositional hearing stage, except for just cause as determined by the FRP Team for the period during the 30 calendar days after the date of the final dispositional order.