(1) Every county that authorizes the tax provided in RCW 82.14.460 shall, and every county may, establish and operate a therapeutic court component for dependency proceedings designed to be effective for the court's size, location, and resources. A county with a drug court for criminal cases or with a mental health court may include a therapeutic court for dependency proceedings as a component of its existing program.

     (2) For the purposes of this section, "therapeutic court" means a court that has special calendars or dockets designed for the intense judicial supervision, coordination, and oversight of treatment provided to parents and families who have substance abuse or mental health problems and who are involved in the dependency and is designed to achieve a reduction in:

     (a) Child abuse and neglect;

     (b) Out-of-home placement of children;

     (c) Termination of parental rights; and

     (d) Substance abuse or mental health symptoms among parents or guardians and their children.

     (3) To the extent possible, the therapeutic court shall provide services for parents and families colocated with the court or as near to the court as practicable.

     (4) The department of social and health services shall furnish services to the therapeutic court unless a court contracts with providers outside of the department.

     (5) Any jurisdiction that receives a state appropriation to fund a therapeutic court must first exhaust all federal funding available for the development and operation of the therapeutic court and associated services.

     (6) Moneys allocated by the state for a therapeutic court must be used to supplement, not supplant, other federal, state, local, and private funding for court operations and associated services under this section.

     (7) Any county that establishes a therapeutic court or receives funds for an existing court under this section shall:

     (a) Establish minimum requirements for the participation in the program; and

     (b) Develop an evaluation component of the court, including tracking the success rates in graduating from treatment, reunifying parents with their children, and the costs and benefits of the court.

[2005 c 504 § 503.]

NOTES:

     Findings -- Intent--Severability -- Application -- Construction -- Captions, part headings, subheadings not law -- Adoption of rules -- Effective dates -- 2005 c 504: See notes following RCW 71.05.027.

     Alphabetization -- Correction of references -- 2005 c 504: See note following RCW 71.05.020.