A NEW COURT RESOURCE IS CHANGING LIVES FOR BROWARD’S FAMILIES

Family court exists to protect the most vulnerable. Couples in conflict and children caught in the crossfire of family crisis all find themselves before a judge seeking resolution. However, a court order alone cannot heal a broken family. It cannot ensure a parent follows through on counseling, rebuild a relationship between a child and an absent parent, or connect a struggling family member with the resources they desperately need.

For too long, Broward County’s family court system lacked the bridge between what the court could order and what families could actually access. Family Court Services (FCS), a newly created court program within the 17th Judicial Circuit in Broward County, was built to be that bridge.

In just a single week in May 2026, FCS received 31 new referrals for services and opened cases for seven brand-new families. Three families already enrolled were referred for additional assistance. That level of ongoing need is not exceptional — it is the norm. And it is exactly why Family Court Services was created with the support of the Broward County Commission, Chief Judge Carol-Lisa Phillips and the 17th Judicial Circuit Court Administration.

Launched on Jan. 5, 2026, FCS is a first-of-its-kind program within the 17th Judicial Circuit, made possible through an investment by the Broward County Commission. In just a few short months, the program has served approximately 150 families and logged over 500 court-ordered referrals. The numbers make plain what those working within the family court system have long understood: the need for coordinated community and family services is real, constant and growing.

Before FCS existed, family court judges in Broward County had no dedicated resource to help connect struggling families with the services they so clearly needed. Parents could be directed to seek counseling or attend parenting classes, but once they left the courtroom, there were no reliable means to confirm they were actually receiving those services, no system for coordinating referrals, and no mechanism to report progress back to the court. Critical wounds were being addressed with little more than Band-Aids.

Family Court Services was created to close that gap, vetting providers, coordinating referrals and ensuring that services are not only ordered, but delivered. The program represents justice in its truest form: Rather than resolving a dispute and moving on, FCS actively supports families as they walk the difficult road toward stability.

The range of services FCS coordinates is extensive. Of the 500 referrals for direct services made since the program’s launch, 158 have been for co-parenting support, 113 for family counseling, 43 for individual counseling for minor children and 32 for reunification intervention — a process through which parents and children work to rebuild fractured relationships. Eighteen families have been referred for supervised visitation. Critically, evaluations of all kinds are conducted at no cost to families, extending the program’s reach to those who might otherwise go without help entirely. Each referral represents a family that came before the court in crisis and left with a guided pathway to a better future.

At the heart of this work are the children. The young people who appear in family court did not choose their circumstances. They are present because the adults in their lives are experiencing difficulty, and it is the court’s responsibility to address that struggle at its root. Through early intervention and meaningful support, FCS has already demonstrated that it is possible to change a child’s trajectory. The program promotes stability, accountability and healthier outcomes for entire families, not just the individuals who stand before a judge.

After months of collaborative effort among Court Administration, FCS staff and the nine judges who have the honor and privilege of serving in the Family Court Division, the results of Family Court Services speak for themselves. In six months of operation, the program has become an indispensable pillar of the 17th Judicial Circuit. We are grateful for the vision and generosity of the Broward County Commission, and we look forward with confidence to the program’s continued growth — and to the countless families it has yet to serve.

Hope Tieman Bristol is the administrative judge for Unified Family Courts and Lauren M. Alperstein is chairperson of Family Division of the 17th Judicial Circuit.