SPECIALTY COURTS WE SERVE

Houston

Fort Bend

Galveston

Juvenile Specialty Courts:

SOAR Court

Slide title

©Shutterstock

Button

Sobriety Over Addiction & Relapse (SOAR) Court utilizes a collaborative, multidisciplinary, team-modeled approach to disrupt the patterns of drug use and abuse, which often result in continued involvement in the juvenile justice system. SOAR Court participants are youth 14 to 17 years of age that have been identified with substance abuse and/or dual diagnosis that are rated as moderate to high risk for delinquency. They are expected to stay in the program a minimum of six months, during which they are closely monitored and receive a highly individualized treatment plan. Participants and their families are encouraged to work together to make better choices, improve communication, and strengthen the family unit.

PROGRAM NEEDS

Transportation and bus cards
Educational/vocational financial aid
Gift and grocery cards
Day care
Personal items and other items

SUCCESS STORIES

Dylan

When Dylan* entered SOAR Court, he was struggling academically: reading below grade level, excessively truant and placed at an alternative school for being under the influence of drugs and alcohol at school. He also struggled at home, frequently leaving the house for days at a time, participating in delinquent conduct and abusing cocaine, THC, alcohol, meth and Xanax. However, after acclimating to SOAR Court and realizing the goal of the program, he began making significant changes to his behavior and obtained sobriety. Dylan completed inpatient drug treatment, where he learned structure, skills to resist his urges to use and, most importantly, identified his triggers. Upon completion of inpatient drug treatment, with the assistance of the SOAR Court team, he enrolled in a credit recovery schooling program to obtain the credits he missed from the three previous school years. To no one’s surprise, Dylan was able to obtain academic advancement and was promoted to the appropriate grade level, graduating in 2020. He and his family maintain contact with his SOAR Court officer and continue to utilize community partners provided by SOAR Court to maintain sobriety.

* not his real name

Dante

Dante* has been active in the SOAR Court program for the past 7 months. When he first began with the program, he was attending classes at Opportunity Awareness Center (Katy ISD’s alternative school) with over 300 days to serve. He has a history of expulsions due to substance use at school and fighting in class. Dante reported struggling to stop using marijuana and stated Lean (Codeine syrup) was his “medicine.” He also admitted to selling marijuana and pills in the past. Dante was admitted into the Phoenix House Drug Patient Program in Austin but was unsuccessfully discharged after 30 days due to non-compliant behavior, failure to participate in groups and inappropriate/aggressive behavior towards staff. The youth was transported directly to UVA’s residential program, where he ultimately completed the drug treatment program. Dante did not have a Texas ID and was unsure how to fill out a job application but wanted to obtain employment. He utilized SOAR Court’s outreach worker and obtained an ID, participated in mock interviewing, complete a functional resume and obtained employment at Firehouse Subs. The youth is now taking all prescribed medication, participating in individual counseling, attending weekly Alternative Peer Groups, participating with his mentor and is 6 months sober!