Program Description
Nearly ½ of the entire Juvenile Drug Court program is represented by referrals from the Hillsborough County School District. The school program component of JDC is designed to help prevent drugs in our schools, to reduce expulsion and change of school placement, provide immediate intervention prior to first court appearance, and potentially having the charge dismissed upon successful completion.
Process
- Upon program enrollment youth that are referred to the Juvenile Drug Court Program and have ongoing participation or successful completion of the Drug Court Program, will then be allowed to remain in his/her currently assigned school of the Hillsborough School District. EACH STUDENT REFERRED BY HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT MUST BE EVALUATED AND COMPLETE ALL RECOMMENDED TREATMENT.
- The State Attorney's Office is notified for qualification purposes for youth to potentially have an opportunity for charge(s) to be dismissed by participating in a "diversion" program. If the charge(s) are officially filed in another court division other than Juvenile Drug Court or not officially filed by Office of the State Attorney, the child is still required to continue and successfully complete treatment as recommended. Failure to do so can result in a change of school placement.
- Students must enroll within three (3) business days following arrest/processed through the (JAC) Juvenile Assessment Center.
- The student/parent should be given the instructions form, the Juvenile Drug Court brochure and information to contact the Drug Court Programs Office for registration from his/her school. An immediate referral for an evaluation and other pertinent program information is provided.
- By calling (813) 272-6179 and speaking to the Drug Court Specialist, the student is given three working days upon being instructed by their school to make this call.
- The appropriate level of treatment will be determined by the level of drug involvement and risk factors. The standard length of the program is 6-12 months, however, the exact length is determined by the treatment and educational need. The youth is required to participate in random urinalysis, drug education classes as well as group and individual counseling. Students who continually test positive during treatment may be referred to DETOX and/or a 4-6 month inpatient residential treatment facility. Furthermore, attendance of NA/AA meetings may be required.
Instructions for Students/Parents
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You are being referred to the Juvenile Drug Court Program, upon program enrollment, ongoing participation or successful completion of the Drug Court Program, you will then be allowed to remain in your currently assigned school of the Hillsborough School District, and you may qualify to have an opportunity for your charge(s) to be dismissed. You are responsible for following these instructions:
- Upon being referred or from the date of your arrest, you have three (3) business days to contact the Drug Court Programs Office for program registration.
- Students must enroll and begin a substance abuse treatment program which the appropriate level of treatment will be determined by the student's level of drug involvement. The standard length of the program is 6-12 months, however, the exact length is determined by the treatment and educational need. You are required to participate in random urinalysis, drug education classes as well as group and individual counseling. Youth who continually test positive for drugs during treatment may be referred to DETOX and/or a 4-6 month inpatient residential treatment facility. Furthermore, attendance of NA/AA meetings may be required. EACH STUDENT REFERRED BY HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT MUST BE EVALUATED AND COMPLETE ALL RECOMMENDED TREATMENT..
Please call 813-272-6179, if you reach the voice mail, speak very clearly and leave your name and telephone number. This phone number receives a large volume of calls, so please be patient. If voice mail capacity is full, it is your responsibility to continue calling. Your call will be returned within 24-48 hours. Once you have made this call and spoken to a Drug Court Specialist, you will be referred for a treatment assessment. You are required to contact the school assistant principal and drug court staff to report your scheduled appointment date and time. Furthermore, provide proof of attendance and participation upon being assessed. Mr. Brinson, Assistant Superintendent of Hillsborough County Schools, will then be informed that you have complied or failed to comply with these instructions.
Following these instructions is necessary to assist school officials to reach a decision concerning your current and future placement in the Hillsborough County School System.
Upon being arrested, you will be processed through the Juvenile Assessment Center (JAC) which a recommendation will be made to the State Attorney's Office. Pending charges may take up to ninety (90) days for official filing. Once your charge(s) has been officially filed in the Juvenile Drug Court Program, you will receive a notice to appear in the mail with a scheduled court date. If charge(s) are dropped by the State Attorney's Office or officially filed in another court division other than Juvenile Drug Court, you are still required to continue and successfully complete treatment as recommended from your initial evaluation, failure to do so can result to a change of school placement.
If you fail to schedule or attend an intervention assessment appointment, fail to attend Court or sign the Juvenile Drug Court Contract, a change of placement will be recommended at the discretion of School Administration. Furthermore, failure to appear in Court may result in Pick UP-Order for your arrest.
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Information Sheet for Hillsborough County School Officials
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The Juvenile Drug Court Program is a court pretrial diversion program which allows a student who successfully completes the program to have the charges dismissed. Nearly ½ of the entire Juvenile Drug Court program is represented by referrals from the Hillsborough County School District. The school program component of the Juvenile Drug Court is designed to offer immediate intervention, to help prevent drugs in our schools, reduce expulsion and change of school placement, and potentially have the charge dismissed upon successful completion. The Program requires:
- Students must be under 17 years of age upon being referred. The State Attorney's Office and the (JAC) Juvenile Assessment Center will receive notification of student being referred by the Hillsborough County school district.
- The student/parent should be given the students instructions form & Juvenile Drug Court brochure and advised to contact the Drug Court programs office for registration.
- The appropriate level of treatment will be determined by the level of drug involvement and risk factors. The standard length of the program is 6-12 months, however, the exact length is determined by the treatment and educational need. The student is required to participate in random urinalysis, drug education classes as well as group and individual counseling. Youth who continually test positive for drugs during treatment may be referred to DETOX and/or a 4-6 month inpatient residential treatment facility. Furthermore, attendance of NA/AA meetings may be required.
- EACH STUDENT REFERRED BY HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT MUST BE EVALUATED AND COMPLETE ALL RECOMMENDED TREATMENT.
- Parent(s) must attend an orientation and participate in the treatment program as required.
- Student and parent(s) must sign a contract with the State Attorney's Office agreeing to participate in Juvenile Drug Court during the court arraignment process
- Student and parent(s) will attend regular court status reviews for the purpose of judicial supervision. Upon program completion a graduation certificate and the order of dismissal from the Court will be given. School administration will be notified of successful program completion as well.
Pending charges may take up to 90 days for official filing. If charge(s) are dropped by the State Attorney's Office or officially filed in another court division other than Juvenile Drug Court, students are still required to continue and successfully complete treatment as recommended from their initial evaluation.
CHANGE OF SCHOOL PLACEMENT RECOMMENDATION:
If a student fails to register with JDC within three business days, fails to schedule a treatment assessment appointment, fails to appear for a scheduled appointment, or upon being assessed services are refused, then Mr. Brinson's office will be notified with a change of placement recommendation at the discretion of School Administration. Furthermore, once enrolled and participating, should the student be unsuccessfully discharged from the program, a change of school placement will also be recommended.
REFERRAL PROCEDURE:
The Juvenile Drug Court Referral form must be FAXED within 24-48 hours of arrest to the Drug Court Programs Office for program registration and case management purposes. Please provide any additional data that can benefit the assessment process such as a school discipline referral and/or incident report and communicate with the Juvenile Assessment Center (JAC) with pertinent information and potential JDC referral status.
Instructions for the student:
The student/parent should be given the instructions form and the Juvenile Drug Court brochure informing them to contact the Drug Court Programs Office for registration, to obtain an immediate referral for an evaluation, and to receive other pertinent program information. By calling 813-272-6179 and speaking to the Drug Court Specialist, the student is given three working days upon being instructed by their school to make this call.