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Substance Abuse, Child Welfare, and the Courts
Collaboration among the courts and the substance abuse and child welfare systems can improve services for children, youth, and families. Find resources to help improve collaboration among these three systems, including State and local examples.
Improving System Linkages
National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare
Presents numerous resources to improve collaboration among child welfare agencies, substance abuse treatment providers, and dependency courts. The website includes policy tools, self-assessment instruments, and information on the 10 elements of system linkages.
Substance Abuse Specialists in Child Welfare Agencies and Dependency Courts: Considerations for Program Designers and Evaluators. | |
Author(s): | National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare., United States. Children's Bureau., United States. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. Young |
Availability: | Download (PDF - 1,516KB) Order (Free) - Add to Cart |
Year Published: | 2010 - 58 pages |
This paper focuses on the placing of substance abuse specialists in either child welfare offices or dependency courts. The purpose of co-locating substance abuse specialists is to ensure that parents are assessed as quickly as possible, to improve parent engagement and retention in treatment, to streamline entry into treatment, and to provide consultation to child welfare and dependency court workers. In addition to briefly describing substance abuse specialist programs and their various components, this paper includes findings from eight qualitative interviews of programs that place substance abuse specialists in child welfare offices or dependency courts. The interviews highlight ways in ... |
Child Welfare, Substance Use Disorders, and Dependency Courts: A Cross-System Annotated Bibliography
National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare (2009)
Identifies literature on cross-system issues involving substance abuse and child welfare practice, family court and criminal justice involvement, perinatal and family services, prevalence and systems planning, and more. (PDF - 692 KB)
The Collaborative Practice Model for Family Recovery, Safety and Stability (PDF - 1976 KB)
Children and Family Futures (2011)
Identifies 10 system linkage elements that child welfare, substance abuse treatment, and juvenile court dependency systems, as well as other agencies and providers working with these systems, can use to collaborate with one another.
The Impact of Traumatic Stress and Alcohol Exposure on Youth: Implications for Lawyers, Judges, and Courts (PDF - 908 KB)
Vandervort
Michigan Child Welfare Law Journal, 11(2), 2007
Explores the practical implications for representing clients in child welfare and juvenile justice cases given the impact of childhood trauma and exposure to alcohol abuse on children's functioning. The article includes strategies for communicating with and counseling youth, investigating a child's history of trauma, ensuring appropriate services are provided to the child, and more.
Introduction to Cross-System Data Sources in Child Welfare, Alcohol and Other Drug Services, and Courts (PDF - 1162 KB)
Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (2011)
Describes the primary data-reporting systems used by each service system. The goal of the report is to help management and administrative personnel develop or improve cross-system relationships.
Parental Substance Abuse, Child Protection and ASFA: Implications for Policy Makers and Practitioners: Executive Summary (PDF - 90 KB)
ABA Center on Children and the Law (2005)
Explores how dependency courts are making permanency decisions for children of substance abusers under the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997 (ASFA) and makes four policy and practice recommendations based on the results of the study.
Training
National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare
Provides access to free online tutorials that support and facilitate collaboration among the courts and the child welfare and substance abuse treatment systems.
State and local examples
Building Bridges Between the Courts, Child Welfare, and Alcohol and Drug Services: A Case Study in Lakeport, California (PDF - 261 KB)
Hatton, Hafer, & Brooks (2010)
Outlines the contributions of child welfare services in Lakeport, CA, to the Northern California Regional Partnership and its work to improve services for families affected by methamphetamine and other drug use through the Safe and Stable Families Federal grant program.
The Collaborative Practice Model for Family Recovery, Safety and Stability (PDF - 1930 KB)
Children and Family Futures (2011)
Discusses 10 system linkage elements that child welfare, substance abuse treatment, and juvenile court dependency systems, as well as other agencies and providers working with these systems, should use to collaborate with one another. The practice model highlights best practice examples to guide communities and agencies in tailoring cross-system collaborations.
Gearing Up to Improve Outcomes for Families: New York State Collaborative Practice Guide for Managers and Supervisors in Child Welfare, Chemical Dependency Services, and Court Systems (PDF - 471 KB)
New York Partnership for Family Recovery (2008)
Highlights opportunities to coordinate case planning and service delivery, develop collaborative tools and strategies to incorporate into daily practice protocols, share information effectively, and establish mechanisms for joint problem-solving and success-sharing.