Juvenile Drug Court

The 16th Judicial District Attorney's Juvenile Drug Court Program was created in October of 2000 in Iberia Parish and in 1999 in St. Mary Parish in an effort to reach youth with substance abuse problems. This program is very similar to the adult drug court program with the difference being the Juvenile Drug Court Program deals with the whole family instead of just the individual. Over 100 teenagers have been evaluated in the two parishes for this program. Referrals are made by the District Attorney and City Court's juvenile prosecutors; and Family In Need of Services (FINS).

Eligibility

All participants must meet each of the following Conditions:

  • Ages 13 to 17
  • Non violent and non sex offender
  • Exhibit an existing substance abuse problem

All participants must meet at least one of the following conditions:

  • A status offender
  • Arrested for a misdemeanor or felony
  • A truant
  • Ungovernable
  • Runaway
  • Eligible for or in Family In Need of Services
  • Adjudicated or subject to adjudication as a delinquent
  • In possession of an illegal drug
  • Use of illegal drugs

Prospective juvenile clients are evaluated by the Intake/Probation Officer and then referred to Fairview Outpatient Treatment Center in New Iberia or Bayou Vista for the second evaluation.

Process

The program is broken up into phases with each phase requiring the clients to attend treatment and counseling sessions. As they progress through the different phases the amount of treatment sessions they attend weekly decreases. Throughout the entire juveniles are required to:

  • Be randomly drug screened throughout the program to monitor progress
  • Be in an approved activity such as GED, Regular Schooling, Vocational training, employment.
  • Have parent or parents participate in the program. Parents also have to be randomly drug screened.

The Four Phases

The first three phases consists of regular drug screens, parent counseling groups, recreational therapy, psycho-education groups and weekly status hearings before the judge for the juvenile and family. There is also home-based counseling with the family, individual counseling with the juvenile, and as needed individual counseling with family members.

Phase four is for a minimum of six months and consists of a case worker monitoring school and work. Drug screens will be randomly administered to determine sobriety. The compliance officer will make random home visits and individual and family counseling with be given as needed. Status hearings before the judge occur once per month.

Juvenile Drug Court Contacts:

Robert Vines, District Attorney's Office
Courthouse Building,
300 Iberia St., Suite 200
New Iberia, La. 70560
337-369-4420

Peter Raymond, Probation Officer
Courthouse Building
300 Iberia St. Suite 200
337-369-4444

Jimmy Senette, District Attorney's Office
Courthouse Building
Franklin, La.
337-828-4100 ext 550

Peter Raymond, Probation Officer
Courthouse Building
Franklin, La. 70538
337-828-4100 ext. 117 (Mondays only)

Sonya Barbier, Program Director
117 Jefferson St.
New Iberia, La. 70560
337-560-9795

Chris Bailey, Program Director
1101 Southeast Blvd
Bayou Vista, 70380
504-399-4555