Reclaiming Futures

Communities Helping Teens Overcome Drugs, Alcohol, and Crime

Working in partnership with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust invested more than $1.8 million in bringing Reclaiming Futures to North Carolina in 2008. Reclaiming Futures is a program that helps young people in trouble with drugs, alcohol, and crime by promoting new standards of care and opportunities in juvenile justice.

"Investing in Reclaiming Futures: a Guide for Public Agencies, Policymakers, and Foundations"

The National Center on Addiction reports that four out of five teens in the juvenile justice system are under the influence of alcohol or drugs while committing their crimes, and of those with substance abuse problems, 85 percent also have a mental health disorder. Yet many do not receive treatment. Even those who do may be shuffled among fragmented services that aren’t very effective. But Reclaiming Futures results show that treatment and coordinated services can be effective in cutting drug abuse and drastically reducing a teen’s criminal activity.

The Reclaiming Futures solution involves three essential elements:

More treatment — teens in the juvenile justice system are screened for drug and alcohol use and a team is pulled together to develop a care plan that begins immediately.
Better treatment — providers are trained in practices proven to work with youth.
Moving beyond treatment — community members support teens when they return home.

Reclaiming Futures was established by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in 2001 as a pilot in ten communities across the country. By 2006, these communities reported significant improvement in the quality of juvenile justice and substance abuse treatment services available to troubled teens. Research from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration suggests that treatment can cut drug abuse in half, drastically decrease criminal activity, and significantly reduce arrests.

Because of its success in the original 10 communities, the program is being expanded to 10 additional sites, six of which are in North Carolina. The six N.C. sites are serving youth in nine counties: Chatham, Cumberland, Forsyth, Guilford, Iredell, Orange, Rowan, Surry, and Yadkin.