Juvenile treatment courts are designed for youth with substance use disorders who come into contact with the juvenile justice system. These courts offer an important way to respond to the needs of substance using youth and treat their complex disorders, which require specialized interventions. Overall, studies about the effectiveness of juvenile treatment courts have been inconclusive. Until now, these courts have had no research-based guidelines to follow. The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) initiated the Juvenile Drug Treatment Court Guidelines project to fill that need.