Fiscal Year 2019 Annual Report AR19 Final | Page 14

FIRST: Family Intervention
Restorative Services of Texas
The FIRST program is a diversion program for
juveniles with pending criminal charges resulting
from a domestic misdemeanor offense.
It is designed to negate the filing of criminal
charges on the juvenile and allow the juvenile
and their family to receive mental health services
in lieu of detention and a judicial proceeding.
The expectation is to empower the family unit
by teaching coping and communication skills
necessary to avoid future situations requiring law
enforcement involvement.
Program Graduates from the six-month program
follow through on treatment goals established
with the family and the clinician and meet
all requirements established by the Juvenile
Probation Case Manager.
The FIRST program is a collaboration between:
• The Harris County District Attorney’s Office
• The Harris County Juvenile Probation
Department
• The Harris Center
• Texas Department of Family Protective
Services
We had our first program graduation of 15 youth. On the second
graduation, 39 youth graduated. The number of graduates is expected
to continue to grow.