The Wapello County Family Treatment Court (FTC) was selected as a National Peer Learning Court to provide peer-to-peer learning and technical assistance to similar courts around the country. The Wapello court is one of only eight family treatment courts selected to highlight national best practice models and mentor other courts for the calendar years 2021 and 2022. It is the third time the court has received this designation.
The Center for Children and Family Futures (CCFF), with support from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), hosts the national Family Drug Court Training and Technical Assistance (FDC TTA) and selected the Peer Learning Courts (PLC). Wapello County FTC Judge William Owens said the court applied for re-designation as a peer learning court in 2020 but, due to the pandemic, the selection and announcement was delayed until this week.
“This designation is a tribute to the dedicated team of professionals on our treatment team who work with families with a pending CINA case to achieve and maintain sobriety, recovery and stability, and work toward better outcomes for their families,” Judge Owens said. “We are excited with the opportunities this designation affords our team to share our practices with other family treatment courts around the country, as well as the chance to learn from other peer learning courts on how we can help our families.”
The other peer learning courts are in Maryland, Indiana, Colorado, Washington, Arizona, New York, and Texas. The peer learning courts will show other courts how a comprehensive, family-centered approach — grounded in effective cross-systems collaboration and FTC best practices — improves family outcomes. The courts will host virtual or in-person team site visits and participate in virtual peer-to-peer connection to share practice innovations, successes, challenges, operational documents, and lessons.