Research: Timely Access to Substance Abuse Treatment
Helping children return home to live with their parents as soon as possible requires states to target the reasons children enter care. Substance abuse is a major factor for many children in foster care.
-
Timely substance abuse treatment
. Policymakers can ensure that parents whose children are in foster care have priority access to treatment so that safe reunification can occur as quickly as possible. Parents who have access to quality treatment programs soon after their children have been removed have strong motivation to remain in and successfully complete treatment. .
-
Expansion of drug courts
. Policymakers can help establish family drug courts designed to help substance abusing parents achieve successful reunification. Through comprehensive supervision, frequent drug testing, and immediate sanctions and incentives to participate in substance abuse treatment, family drug courts can promote successful treatment completion and timely reunification.
-
Require and fund substance abuse specialists for child welfare agencies.
Experts in chemical dependency have the in-depth knowledge about addiction and treatment needed by child welfare agencies. Embedding this expertise within the child welfare agency can ensure that families get the help needed for safe reunification with their children.
-
Creation or expansion of family-based drug treatment.
Substance abuse treatment programs in which children and their parents live together are a promising approach to promote continued attachment between parents and children and to increase motivation for substance abusing parents. Residential family treatment programs can also ease the transition to safe reunification when treatment is completed.