Working With Caregivers, Children, and Youth With Substance Use Disorders

Substance use disorders affect every aspect of a family’s functioning. When caregivers have a substance use disorder, their parenting capacity may be lowered, which may result in child welfare involvement. Among youth, substance use disorders may increase behavioral challenges and lower academic outcomes. In recognition of these negative outcomes, increased attention is being paid to effective treatment for substance use disorders among caregivers, children, and youth. Several factors influence which treatment type is recommended, including the specific substance, available social support, and demographic factors. Below, find resources for child welfare workers working with caregivers, children, and youth experiencing substance use disorders.

Caregivers
Children and youth

Caregivers

Avoiding Common Triggers to Relapse
American Addiction Centers (2020)
Normalizes relapse as a component of addiction recovery and identifies specific triggers that may contribute to relapse.

How Can Family-Based Residential Treatment Programs Help Reduce Substance Use and Improve Child Welfare Outcomes?
Casey Family Programs (2019)
Discusses outcomes for family-based residential treatment programs in reducing the historical disconnect between effective treatment programs and child welfare systems.

One in Three Children Entered Foster Care in 2017 Because of Parental Drug Abuse
Sepulveda & Williams (2019)
Child Trends
Summarizes data from the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System highlighting the relationship between substance use and child welfare. The resource also provides a series of reports discussing effective reforms that child welfare agencies can implement to support children and youth affected by parental substance use disorders.

SNAP Approach: Preserving Families Through Partnerships
National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare
Describes a program that builds on the strengths, needs, abilities, and preferences (SNAP) of families within the community. The SNAP approach enhances a community's collaborative infrastructure capacity to mitigate the risk of child abuse and neglect by parents with substance use disorders.

Substance Abuse Treatment (Adult)
The California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare
Describes evidence-based therapeutic interventions designed to address substance use disorders among adults.

Substance Use, the Opioid Epidemic, and the Child Welfare System: Key Findings From a Mixed Methods Study (PDF - 204 KB)
Radel, Baldwin, Crouse, Ghertner, & Waters (2018)
U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistance Secretary of Planning and Evaluation
Summarizes how the child welfare system interacts with community partners to serve an increasing population of parents whose substance use has impaired their parenting and placed their children at risk.

Understanding Substance Use Disorder Treatment: A Resource Guide for Professionals Referring to Treatment (PDF - 641 KB)
National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare (2018)
Guides child welfare professionals in linking clients to substance use disorder services. This resource also includes a list of questions to support collaboration.

The Use of Peers and Recovery Specialists in Child Welfare Settings (PDF - 210 KB)
National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare (2018)
Examines how child welfare agencies and family court programs have integrated peers and recovery specialists into their service delivery to support families affected by substance use disorders.

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Children and Youth

Intensive Care Coordination for Children and Youth With Complex Mental and Substance Use Disorders: State and Community Profiles (PDF - 2,500 KB)
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (2019)
Describes evidence-based practices implemented by States to provide wraparound services to youth with mental health and/or substance use disorders.

Interventions for Substance Use Disorders in Adolescents: A Systematic Review
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (2018)
Synthesizes research studies examining the most effective methods for treating adolescent substance use disorders, including family therapies, cognitive behavioral therapies, and motivational interviewing.

Preventing, Identifying, and Treating Substance Use Among Youth in Foster Care

Series Title	Bulletins for Professionals
Author(s)	Child Welfare Information Gateway
Availability	View Download (PDF - 464KB) Order (Free)
Year Published	2020

Youth in foster care often face multiple challenges that place them at increased risk of using substances. This bulletin provides child welfare professionals with information about the extent and effects of substance use among youth in foster care, ways to identify substance use, how to support youth in care who currently use or are at high risk for using substances, and strategies for prevention. It also addresses why and how you can collaborate with professionals in other fields.

Substance Abuse Treatment (Adolescent)
The California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare
Describes evidence-based therapeutic interventions designed to address substance use disorders among adolescents.

Treatment Strategies for Substance Use Disorders in Adolescents: A Clinical Review
Hammond & Sharma (2017)
Psychiatric Times, 34(6)
Presents risk factors for the development of substance use disorders as well as core principles for addressing them among adolescents.

Youth and Young Adults
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Highlights resources for empowering and equipping youth in substance use disorder recovery.

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Civil Rights Protections for Individuals in Recovery From an Opioid Use Disorder

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office for Civil Rights; HHS, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration; HHS, Administration for Children and Families; & National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare

Provides information on Federal disability rights laws and protections that apply to some individuals in recovery from an opioid use disorder. The five-part series includes:

Webinars. Part 1: "Civil Rights Protections for Individuals with a Disability: The Basics" provides information on Federal disability law application for qualified individuals with a disability in the child welfare system. Part 2: "Civil Rights Protections for Individuals with an Opioid Use Disorder" explores Federal disability rights protections that apply to some individuals in recovery from an opioid disorder.
An overview of medical-assisted treatment (MAT) and common misconceptions about this approach in child welfare practice.
Animated videos. "Child Welfare Case Staffing: Social Worker and Supervisor" is a video that centers on misconceptions that individuals may have about MAT and how Federal disability rights laws protect some individuals in recovery from an opioid use disorder.