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Substance Abuse, Child Welfare, and the Welfare System

Some families involved with the substance abuse and child welfare systems may also receive financial assistance from the State. Find resources that address the identification of welfare recipients who are also affected by substance abuse and the coordination of services among these systems.

	Welfare Peer Technical Assistance Network Office of Family Assistance The network facilitates the sharing of information among States and establishes linkages between organizations serving the needs of welfare recipients. The website highlights policy research, innovative programs, related links, and upcoming events.

Addressing Substance Abuse Problems Among TANF Recipients: A Guide for Program Administrators: Final Report (PDF - 262 KB)
Mathematica Policy Research (2000)
Information for TANF program administrators to help devise a strategy for identifying and addressing the needs of recipients with substance abuse problems.

Barriers to Identifying Substance Abuse in the Reformed Welfare System
Henderson, Dohan, & Schmidt
Social Service Review, 80(2), 2006
View Abstract
Uses interviews with frontline welfare workers and policy makers to examine the process of identifying welfare clients for substance abuse services.

Building Collaboratives to Deliver Human Services in Bibb County, Georgia (PDF - 33 KB)
Rockefeller Institute of Government (2002)
Describes the Bibb County Division of Family and Children Services income support program and its efforts to facilitate collaboration with other services such as a pediatric clinic, a substance abuse treatment center, a child care center, a teen parent center, and a parent aide program to prevent child abuse.

CASAWORKS for Families: A Promising Approach to Welfare Reform and Substance-Abusing Women: A CASA White Paper (PDF - 76 KB)
National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (2001)
CASAWORKS for Families helps poor women on welfare with substance abuse problems achieve recovery, employment, family stability and safety, and quality parenting. This paper provides an in-depth description of the program, preliminary results, costs and benefits, and impact on policy in nine states.

Coordinating Welfare and Substance Abuse Services
Kaplan (2002)
Issues to consider for policymakers and program staff when coordinating and integrating welfare and substance abuse services to overcome barriers to treatment, employment, and economic independence.

Identifying Substance Abuse Among A Better Chance Families in Delaware: A Review of the State's Model and Referral Processes (PDF - 69 KB)
Welfare Peer Technical Assistance Network (2001)
An analysis of several strategies to identify substance abuse among welfare recipients in the State of Delaware. Includes promising practices from other States and a list of articles on substance abuse among TANF families.

Identifying Substance Abuse Among TANF Families in New York State (PDF - 131 KB)
Nakashian (2001)
Provides background information about the struggles faced by States in identifying substance abuse among welfare recipients and reviews a State of New York initiative to improve its own capacity in this area.

Promoting Resilience: Helping Young Children and Parents Affected by Substance Abuse, Domestic Violence, and Depression in the Context of Welfare Reform
National Center for Children in Poverty (2000)
Outlines strategies that should be implemented to improve outcomes for children in families receiving welfare who are affected by substance abuse, domestic violence, and mental illness.

Talk and Trust: Identifying Substance Abuse Among Colorado Works Families (PDF - 480 KB)
Colorado Department of Human Services (2003)
Addresses the incidence of substance abuse in welfare recipients, screening instruments, and other techniques for TANF staff, and the steps to take when developing strategies for TANF families affected by substance abuse.

TANF Families in Which There Are Alcohol or Other Drug, Mental Health, or Domestic Violence Issues: Child Well-Being After One Year of Welfare Reform (PDF - 208 KB)
CalWORKs Project (2003)
Summarizes findings from an investigation of child well-being in families receiving temporary assistance who are facing substance abuse, mental health, and domestic violence issues.

Updated on March 1, 2010