NCJ Number
142477
Date Published
1992
Length
241 pages
Annotation
In 1989, the Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) announced the formation of a Chemical Dependency and Child Welfare Steering Committee composed of 13 experts in child welfare or alcohol and drug abuse chosen from CWLA member agencies; the North American Commission on Chemical Dependency and Child Welfare was convened in 1990.
Abstract
The Steering Committee discussed, debated, and reached consensus on some of the issues, controversies, and challenges associated with alcohol and drug abuse. The commission was subsequently convened to assess the impact of alcohol and other drugs on child welfare policies and service delivery, determine areas of service delivery requiring additional study, identify core elements of child welfare programs that successfully address chemical dependency issues, determine child welfare training needs related to alcohol and other drugs, and evaluate existing research related to chemical dependency and child welfare. The commission also sought to improve legislative provisions and agency policies, practices, and programs related to infants, children, youth, and families affected by alcohol and other drugs. The commission's final report contains an overview of the child welfare system and how it is supposed to protect children and strengthen and support families. In addition, the report examines what chemical dependency means for individuals, families, and service providers; challenging service needs of chemically involved clients; and specific population groups, such as pregnant and parenting women, drug-exposed infants and toddlers, and adolescents at risk of chemical dependency. The report also discusses child welfare system responses to affected populations, alcohol and other drug treatment and prevention programs, child and family courts, the health care system, child day care, early education, and strategies for improving services to children and chemically involved families at the local community level. The commission advocates changes in the policies and practices of child welfare and related human service systems. Two appendixes list commission members and Federal programs that address chemical dependency in families, while a third appendix provides a content outline for core alcohol and other drugs training. Endnotes