Family Court Clinical Evaluation Unit

The court provides for the behavioral health needs of the child and his/her family by offering assessment, treatment and case monitoring services that will determine, in large measure, the outcome of the hearings. Cases are referred to Family Court (FC) for review by the Philadelphia Department of Human Services (DHS). When necessary, the court will order drug and alcohol assessments, which are conducted by clinical evaluation staff. The clinical evaluation unit assigned to FC also provides case monitoring services and process Medical Assistance (MA) applications for eligible participants. Clinical assessment and case monitoring services are available in all dependency courtrooms. The Clinical Evaluation Unit also conducts assessments and monitors treatment progress for adolescents from the Reasonable Efforts in Assessment, Access and Prevention (REAAP) Unit. Pennsylvania Act 53 permits the involuntary commitment of children under 18 to substance abuse treatment. Parents or legal guardians with a child may petition a judge to have the child assessed and placed into substance abuse treatment. A clinical evaluation report is submitted for consideration by the judge.