Parental Substance Use as Child Maltreatment - Penobscot Nation

Substance-Exposed Newborns
Citation: Tribal Code Ch. 15, §§ 2(23)(D); 5(2)

'Jeopardy' means serious abuse or neglect as evidenced by prenatal drug exposure.

The Penobscot Nation Department of Social Services shall act to protect infants born identified as being affected by illegal substance abuse or suffering from withdrawal symptoms resulting from prenatal drug exposure, whether the prenatal exposure was to legal or illegal drugs, and regardless of whether the infant is abused or neglected. The department shall do the following:

• Receive reports of infants who may be affected by illegal substance abuse or suffering from withdrawal symptoms resulting from prenatal drug exposure
• Promptly investigate all reports received of infants born who may be affected by illegal substance abuse or suffering from withdrawal symptoms resulting from prenatal drug exposure
• Determine whether each infant reported is affected by illegal substance abuse or suffers from withdrawal symptoms resulting from prenatal drug exposure
• Determine whether the infant is abused or neglected and, if so, determine the degree of harm or threatened harm in each case  

Children Exposed to Parental Substance Use

This issue is not addressed in the laws and ordinances reviewed.