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SCREENING FOR SUBSTANCE ABUSE IN CLIENTS

PRECONFERENCE A

Kathleen Coulborn Faller, Ph.D., A.C.S.W.
Melnee D. McPherson, M.S.W.
University of Michigan
School of Social Work
1080 S. University Avenue
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1106

SCREENING FOR SUBSTANCE ABUSE IN CLIENTS IN THE CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM

Estimates of substance abuse problems among families reported to CPS are as high as 88 percent, and substance abuse is cited by professionals in the child welfare system as the most troubling problem. However, most substance use screening instruments assume the individual will be fairly forthcoming and recognize that he/she has a problem. This is often not the case with parents in the child welfare system, whose substance use may have effected their capacity to care for their children. They are usually fearful of the implications of revealing their substance use, including potential loss of custody of their children. In addition, they often do not see their use of substances as a problem. Thus, even more so than other clients, they may minimize or outright deny their use alcohol and drugs.

Screening is complicated by the fact that substance use by adults in the child welfare system is often polydrug use, or combining legal, prescription, and illegal substances. Moreover, the majority of the clients in the child welfare system, whose drug and alcohol use is of concern, are women and often ethnic minorities. Thus, measures sensitive to women's substance use patterns and effects, and strategies that take into account differences in substance use by ethnicity, are required. Finally, measuring the impact of substance use on child care is of particular importance.

Over a period of 15 years, faculty, staff, and graduate students associated with the University of Michigan Family Assessment Clinic, a multidisciplinary team that conducts assessments on complex child welfare cases, has developed a series of strategies for gathering accurate information from adults with substance abuse problems. Because of the special characteristics of adults with substance use problems in the child welfare system, innovative strategies are required to gather information from these caretakers.

This seminar will present strategies for collecting accurate information about drug and alcohol use from caretakers who are involved in the child welfare system. These include both structured and unstructured approaches to data gathering. A decision-making matrix that assesses the potential impact on parenting of substance use will be presented, along with a videotaped case example. Participants will have an opportunity to role-play a substance abuse assessment.

Updated on February 24, 2010