Launched in March 1998, the Manhattan Family Treatment Court addresses the problems of children neglected by substance-abusing parents or guardians. The court is one of the first of its kind in the nation and the first in any major city. The Treatment Court enrolls addicted parents in treatment and rigorously monitors their performance. The Court also improves service delivery by exchanging timely information about parents and their children with the social service agencies responsible for monitoring the placement of children. Improved communication also enhances the judge's ability to make informed decisions about custody and foster care issues, enabling children to move forward and gain stability in their lives as quickly as possible. In 2001, the demonstrated effectiveness of the program led to its institutionalization by the New York State Unified Court System, which has assumed total administrative oversight of the treatment court.