[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 29 (Wednesday, March 7, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1994-S1998]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Ms. SNOWE (for herself, Mr. Rockefeller, Mr. DeWine, Mr. Dodd, 
        Ms. Collins, Mrs. Lincoln, and Mr. Breaux):
  S. 484. A bill to amend part B of title IV of the Social Security Act 
to create a grant program to promote joint activities among Federal, 
State, and local public child welfare and alcohol and drug abuse 
prevention and treatment agencies; to the Committee on Finance.
  Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President I rise today to introduce the Child 
Protection/Alcohol and Drug Partnership Act,

[[Page S1995]]

and I am pleased to be joined by my good friends, Senators Rockefeller, 
DeWine, Dodd, collins, and Lincoln. Mr. President this bill is an 
enormously important piece of legislation. It provides the means for 
states to support some of our most vulnerable families, families who 
are struggling with alcohol and drug abuse, and the children who are 
being raised in these homes.
  It is obvious, both anecdotally and statistically, that child welfare 
is significantly impacted by parental substance abuse. And it makes a 
lot of sense to fund state programs to address these two issues in 
tandem. The real question in designing and supporting child welfare 
programs is how can we, public policy makers, government officials, 
welfare agencies, honestly expect to improve child welfare without 
appropriately and adequately addressing the root problems affecting 
these children's lives?
  We know that substance abuse is the primary ingredient in child abuse 
and neglect. Most studies find that between one-third and two-thirds, 
and some say as high as 80 percent to 90 percent, of children in the 
child welfare system come from families where parental substance abuse 
is a contributing factor.
  The Child Protection/Alcohol and Drug Partnership Act creates a new 
five-year $1.9 billion state block grant program to address the 
connection between substance abuse and child welfare. Payments would be 
made to promote joint activities among federal, state, and local public 
child welfare and alcohol and drug prevention and treatment agencies. 
Our underlying belief, and the point of this bill, is to encourage 
existing agencies to work together to keep children safe.
  HHS will award grants to States and Indian tribes to encourage 
programs for families who are known to the child welfare system and 
have alcohol and drug abuse problems. These grants will forge new and 
necessary partnerships between the child protection agencies and the 
alcohol and drug prevention and treatment agencies so they can work 
together to provide services fort this population. The program is 
designed to increase the capacity of both the child welfare and alcohol 
and drug systems to comprehensively address the needs of these families 
to improve child safety, family stability, and permanence, and to 
promote recovery from alcohol and drug problems.
  Statistics paint an unhappy picture for children of substance abusing 
parents: a 1998 report by the National Committee to Prevent Child Abuse 
found that 36 states reported that parental substance abuse and poverty 
are the top two problems exhibited by families reported for child 
maltreatment. And a 1997 survey conducted by the Child Welfare League 
of America found that at least 52 percent of placements into out-of-
home care were due in part to parental substance abuse.
  Children whose parents abuse alcohol and drugs are almost three times 
likelier to be abused and more than four times likelier to be neglected 
than children of parents who are not substance abusers. Children in 
alcohol-abusing families were nearly four times more likely to be 
maltreated overall, almost five times more likely to be physically 
neglected, and 10 times more likely to be emotionally neglected than 
children in families without alcohol problems.
  A 1994 study published in the American Journal of Public Health fund 
that children prenatally exposed to substances have been found to be 
two to three times more likely to be abused than non-exposed children. 
And as many as 80 percent of prenatally drug exposed infants will come 
to the attention of child welfare before their first birthday. Abused 
and neglected children under age six face the risk of more severe 
damage than older children because their brains and neurological 
systems are still developing.
  Unfortunately, child welfare agencies estimate that only a third of 
the 67 percent of the parents who need drug or alcohol prevention and 
treatment services actually get help today.
  This bill is about preventing problems. My colleagues and I know that 
what is most important here is the safety and well-being of America's 
children. We expect much of our youth because they are the future of 
our nation. In turn, we must be willing to give them the support they 
need to learn and grow, so that they can lead healthy and productive 
lives.
  In 1997 Congress passed the Adoption and Safe Families Act, ASFA, 
authored by the late Senator John Chafee. ASFA promotes safety, 
stability, and permanence for all abused and neglected children and 
requires timely decision-making in all proceedings to determine whether 
children can safely return home, or whether they should be moved to 
permanent, adoptive homes. Specifically, the law requires a State to 
ensure that services are provided to the families of children who are 
at risk, so that children can remain safely with their families or 
return home after being in foster care.
  The bill we are introducing today identifies a very specific area in 
which families and children need services, substance abuse. And it will 
ensure that states have the funding necessary to provide services as 
required under the Adoption and Safe Families Act.
  On March 23, 2000, Kristine Ragaglia, Commissioner of the Connecticut 
Department of Children and Families, testified before the House 
Subcommittee on Human Resources on this issue. She said simply that 
``If substance abuse issues are left unaddressed, many of the system's 
efforts to protect children and to promote positive change in families 
will be wasted.'' This legislation aims to address this very gap in our 
nation's child protection system.
  I am pleased that this legislation has been endorsed by the American 
Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry; the American Academy of 
Pediatrics; the American Prosecutors Research Institute; the American 
Psychological Association; the American Public Human Services 
Association; the Child Welfare League of America; the Children's 
Defense Fund; Fight Crime: Invest in Kids; the Maine Association of 
Prevention Programs; the Maine Association of Substance Abuse Programs; 
the Maine Children's Trust; Mainely Parents; the Massachusetts Society 
for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children; the National Conference of 
State Legislators; the New York State Office of Alcoholism and 
Substance Abuse Services; and Prevent Child Abuse America.
  I encourage my colleagues to take a look at our bill, to think 
seriously about the future for kids in their states, and to work with 
us in passing this very important piece of legislation. I ask unanimous 
consent that a fact sheet and section-by-section description of the 
bill be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

 Fact Sheet--Child Protection/Alcohol and Drug Partnership Act of 2001

       The Child Protection/Alcohol and Drug Partnership Act of 
     2001 is a bill to create a grant program to promote joint 
     activities among Federal, State, and local public child 
     welfare and alcohol and drug abuse prevention and treatment 
     agencies to improve child safety, family stability, and 
     permanence for children in families with drug and alcohol 
     problems, as well as promote recovery from drug and alcohol 
     problems.
       Child welfare agencies estimate that only a third of the 67 
     percent of the parents who need drug or alcohol prevention 
     and treatment services actually get help today. This bill 
     builds on the foundation of the Adoption and Safe Families 
     Act of 1997 which requires states to focus on a child's need 
     for safety, health and permanence. The bill creates new 
     funding for alcohol and drug treatment and other activities 
     that will serve the special needs of these families to either 
     provide treatment for parents with alcohol and drug abuse 
     problems so that a child can safely return to their family or 
     to promote timely decisions and fulfill the requirement of 
     the 1997 Adoption and Safe Families Act to provide services 
     prior to adoption.
     Grants to promote child protection/alcohol and drug 
         partnerships
       In an effort to improve child safety, family stability, and 
     permanence as well as promote recovery from alcohol and drug 
     abuse problems. HHS will award grants to States and Indian 
     tribes to encourage programs for families who are known to 
     the child welfare system and have alcohol and drug abuse 
     problems. Such grants will forge new and necessary 
     partnerships between the child protection agencies and the 
     alcohol and drug prevention and treatment agencies in States 
     so they can together provide necessary services for this 
     unique population.
       These grants will help build new partnerships to provide 
     alcohol and drug abuse prevention and treatment services that 
     are timely, available, accessible, and appropriate and 
     include the following components:
       (A) Preventive and early intervention services for the 
     children of families with alcohol and drug problems that 
     combine alcohol and drug prevention services with mental 
     health

[[Page S1996]]

     and domestic violence services, and recognize the mental, 
     emotional, and developmental problems the children may 
     experience.
       (B) Prevention and early intervention services for families 
     at risk of alcohol and drug problems.
       (c) Comprehensive home-based, out-patient and residential 
     treatment options.
       (D) Formal and informal after-care support for families in 
     recovery that promote child safety and family stability.
       (E) Services and supports that promote positive parent-
     child interaction.
     Forging new partnerships
       GAO and HHS studies indicate that the existing programs for 
     alcohol and drug treatment do not effectively service 
     families in the child protection system. Therefore, this new 
     grant program will help eliminate barriers to treatment and 
     to child safety and permanence by encouraging agencies to 
     build partnerships and conduct joint activities including:
       (A) Promote appropriate screening and assessment of alcohol 
     and drug problems.
       (B) Create effective engagement and retention strategies 
     that get families into timely treatment.
       (C) Encourage joint training for staff of child welfare and 
     alcohol and drug abuse prevention and treatment agencies, and 
     judges and other court personnel to increase understanding of 
     alcohol and drug problems related to child abuse and neglect 
     and to more accurately identify alcohol and drug abuse in 
     families. Such training increases staff knowledge of the 
     appropriate resources that are available in the communities, 
     and increases awareness of the importance of permanence for 
     children and the urgency for expedited time lines in making 
     these decisions.
       (D) Improve data systems to monitor the progress of 
     families, evaluate service and treatment outcomes, and 
     determine which approaches are most effective.
       (E) Evaluate strategies to identify the effectiveness of 
     treatment and those parts of the treatment that have the 
     greatest impact on families in different circumstances.
     New, targeted investments
       A total of $1.9 billion will be available to eligible 
     states with funding of $200 million in the first year 
     expanding to $575 million by the last year. The amount of 
     funding will be based on the State's number of children under 
     18, with a small state minimum to ensure that every state 
     gets a fair share. Indian tribes will have a 3-5 percent set 
     aside. State child welfare and alcohol and drug agencies 
     shall have a modest matching requirement for funding 
     beginning with a 15 percent match and gradually increasing to 
     25 percent. The Secretary has discretion to waive the State 
     match in cases of hardship.
     Accountability and performance measurement
       To ensure accountability, HHS and the related State 
     agencies must establish indicators within 12 months of the 
     enactment of this law which will be used to assess the 
     State's progress under this program. Annual reports by the 
     States must be submitted to HHS. Any state that fails to 
     submit its report will lose its funding for the next year, 
     until it comes into compliance. HHS must issue an annual 
     report to Congress on the progress of the Child Protection/
     Alcohol and Drug Partnership grants.
                                  ____


 Section-by-Section--Child Protection/Alcohol and Drug Partnership Act 
                                of 2001

A bill to amend part B of title IV of the Social Security Act to create 
 a grant program to promote joint activities among Federal, State, and 
 Local public child welfare and alcohol and drug abuse prevention and 
                          treatment agencies.

     Grants to promote child protection/alcohol and drug 
         partnership for children
       In an effort to improve child safety, family stability, and 
     permanence, as well as promote recovery from alcohol and drug 
     abuse problems, the Secretary may award grants to eligible 
     States and Indian tribes to foster programs for families who 
     are known to the child welfare system to have alcohol and 
     drug abuse problems. The Secretary shall notify States and 
     Indian tribes of approval or denial not later than 60 days 
     after submission.
     State plan requirements
       In order to meet the prevention and treatment needs of 
     families with alcohol and drug abuse problems in the child 
     welfare system and to promote child safety, permanence, and 
     family stability, State agencies will jointly work together, 
     creating a plan to identify the extent of the drug and 
     alcohol abuse problem.
       Creation of plan--State agencies will provide data on 
     appropriate screening and assessment of cases, consultation 
     on cases involving alcohol and drug abuse, arrangements for 
     addressing confidentiality and sharing of information, cross 
     training of staff, co-location of services, support for 
     comprehensive treatment for parents and their children, and 
     priority of child welfare families for assessment or 
     treatment.
       Identify activities--A description of the activities and 
     goals to be implemented under the five-year funding cycle 
     should be identified, such as: identify and assess alcohol 
     and drug treatment needs, identify risks to children's safety 
     and the need for permanency, enroll families in appropriate 
     services and treatment in their communities, and regularly 
     assess the progress of families receiving such treatment.
       Implement prevention and treatment services--States and 
     Indian tribes should implement individualized alcohol and 
     drug abuse prevention and treatment services that are 
     available, accessible, and appropriate that include the 
     following components:
       (A) Preventive and early intervention services for the 
     children of families with alcohol and drug abuse problems 
     that integrate alcohol and drug abuse prevention services 
     with mental health and domestic violence services, as well as 
     recognizing the mental, emotional, and developmental problems 
     the children may experience.
       (B) Prevention and early intervention services for parents 
     at risk for alcohol and drug abuse problems.
       (C) Comprehensive home-based, out-patient and residential 
     treatment options.
       (D) Formal and informal after-care support for families in 
     recovery.
       (E) Services and programs that promote parent-child 
     interaction.
       Sharing information among agencies--Agencies should 
     eliminate existing barriers to treatment and to child safety 
     and permanence by sharing information among agencies and 
     learning from the various treatment protocols of other 
     agencies such as:
       (A) Creating effective engagement and retention strategies.
       (B) Encouraging joint training of child welfare staff and 
     alcohol and drug abuse prevention agencies, and judges and 
     court staff to increase awareness and understanding of drug 
     abuse and related child abuse and neglect and more accurately 
     identify abuse in families, increase staff knowledge of the 
     services and resources that are available in the communities, 
     and increase awareness of permanence for children and the 
     urgency for time lines in making these decisions.
       (C) Improving data systems to monitor the progress of 
     families, evaluate service and treatment outcomes, and 
     determine which approaches are most effective.
       (D) Evaluation strategies to identify the effectiveness of 
     treatment that has the greatest impact on families in 
     different circumstances.
       (E) Training and technical assistance to increase the 
     State's capacity to perform the above activities.
       Plan descriptions and assurances--States and Indian tribes 
     should create a plan that includes the following descriptions 
     and assurances:
       (A) A description of the jurisdictions in the State whether 
     urban, suburban, or rural, and the State's plan to expand 
     activities over the 5-year funding cycle to other parts of 
     the State.
       (B) A description of the way in which the State agency will 
     measure progress, including how the agency will jointly 
     conduct an evaluation of the results of the activities.
       (C) A description of the input obtained from staff of State 
     agencies, advocates, consumers of prevention and treatment 
     services, line staff from public and private child welfare 
     and drug abuse agencies, judges and court staff, 
     representatives of health, mental health, domestic violence, 
     housing and employment services, as well as representative 
     of the State agency in charge of administering the 
     temporary assistance to needy families program (TANF).
       (D) An assurance of coordination with other services 
     provided under other Federal or federally assisted programs 
     including health, mental health, domestic violence, housing, 
     employment programs, TANF, and other child welfare and 
     alcohol and drug abuse programs and the courts.
       (E) An assurance that not more than 10 percent of 
     expenditures under the State plan for any fiscal year shall 
     be for administrative costs. However, Indian tribes will be 
     exempt from this limitation and instead may use the indirect 
     cost rate agreement in effect for the tribe.
       (F) An assurance from States that Federal funds provided 
     will not be used to supplant Federal or non-Federal funds for 
     services and activities provided as of the date of the 
     submission of the plan. However, Indian tribes will be exempt 
     from this provision.
       Amendments--A State or Indian tribe may amend its plan, in 
     whole or in part at any time through a plan amendment. The 
     amendment should be submitted to the Secretary not later than 
     30 days after the date of any changes. Approval from the 
     Secretary shall be presumed unless, the State has been 
     notified of disapproval within 60 days after receipt.
       Special application to Indian tribes--The Indian tribe must 
     submit a plan to the Secretary that describes the activities 
     it will undertake with both the child welfare and alcohol and 
     drug agencies that serve its children to address the needs of 
     families who come to the attention of the child welfare 
     agency who have alcohol and drug problems. The Indian tribe 
     must also meet other applicable requirements, unless the 
     Secretary determines that it would be inappropriate based on 
     the tribe's resources, needs, and other circumstances.
     Appropriation of funds
       Appropriations--A total of 1.9 billion dollars will be 
     appropriated to eligible States and Indian tribes at the 
     progression rate of:

[[Page S1997]]

       (1) for fiscal year 2002, $200,000,000;
       (2) for fiscal year 2003, $275,000,000;
       (3) for fiscal year 2004, $375,000,000;
       (4) for fiscal year 2005, $475,000,000; and
       (5) for fiscal year 2006, $575,000,000.
       Territories--The Secretary of HHS shall reserve 2 percent 
     of the amount appropriated each fiscal year for payments to 
     Puerto Rico, Guam, the United States Virgin Islands, American 
     Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands. In addition, the 
     Secretary shall reserve from 3 to 5 percent of the amount 
     appropriated for direct payment to Indian tribes.
       Research and training--The Secretary shall reserve 1 
     percent of the appropriated amount for each fiscal year for 
     practice-based research on the effectiveness of various 
     approaches for screening, assessment, engagement, treatment, 
     retention, and monitoring of families and training of staff 
     in such areas. In addition, the Secretary will also ensure 
     that a portion of these funds are used for research on the 
     effectiveness of these approaches for Indian children and the 
     training of staff.
       Determination of use of funds--Funds may only be used to 
     carry out a specific research agenda established by the 
     Secretary, together with the Assistant Secretary of the 
     Administration for Children and Families and the 
     Administrator of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 
     Administration with input from public and private nonprofit 
     providers, consumers, representatives of Indian tribes and 
     advocates.
     Payments to states
       Amount of grant to States and territories--Each eligible 
     State will receive an amount based on the number of children 
     under the age of 18 that reside in that State. There will be 
     a small state minimum of .05 percent to ensure that all 
     States are eligible for sufficient funding to establish a 
     program.
       Amount of grant to Indian tribes or tribal organizations--
     Indian tribes shall be eligible for a set aside of 3 to 5 
     percent. This amount will be distributed based on the 
     population of children under 18 in the tribe.
       State matching requirement--States shall provide, through 
     non-Federal contributions, the following applicable 
     percentages for a given fiscal year:
       (A) for fiscal years 2002 and 2003, 15 percent match;
       (B) for fiscal years 2004 and 2005, 20 percent match; and
       (C) for fiscal year 2006, 25 percent match.
       Source of match--The non-Federal contributions required of 
     States may be in cash or in-kind including plant equipment or 
     services made directly from donations from public or private 
     entities. Amounts received from the Federal Government may 
     not be included in the applicable percentage of contributions 
     for a given fiscal year. However, Indian tribes may use three 
     Federal sources of matching funds: Indian Child Welfare Act 
     funds, Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act 
     Funds, and Community Block Grant funds.
       Waiver--The Secretary may modify matching funds if it is 
     determined that extraordinary economic conditions in the 
     State justify the waiver. Indian tribes' matching funds may 
     also be modified if the Secretary determines that it would be 
     inappropriate based on the resources and needs of the 
     tribe.
       Use of funds and deadline for request of payment--Funds may 
     only be used to carry out activities specified in the plan, 
     as approved by the Secretary. Each State or Indian tribe 
     shall apply to be paid funds not later than the beginning of 
     the fourth quarter of a fiscal year or they will be 
     reallotted.
       Carryover and reallocation of funds--Funds paid to an 
     eligible State or Indian tribe may be used in that fiscal 
     year or the succeeding fiscal year. If a State does not apply 
     for funds allotted within the time provided, the funds will 
     be reallotted to one or more other eligible States on the 
     basis of the needs of that individual state. In the case of 
     Indian tribes, funds will be reallotted to remaining tribes 
     that are implementing approved plans.
     Performance measurement
       Establishment of indicators--The Secretary, in consultation 
     with the Assistant Secretary for the Administration for 
     Children and Families, the Administrator of the Substance 
     Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration within HHS, 
     and with state and local government, public officials 
     responsible for administering child welfare and alcohol and 
     drug abuse prevention and treatment programs, court staff, 
     consumers of the services, and advocates for these children 
     and parents will establish indicators within 12 months of the 
     enactment of this law which will be used to assess the 
     performance of States and Indian tribes. A State or Indian 
     tribe will be measured against itself, assessing progress 
     over time against a baseline established at the time the 
     grant activities were undertaken.
       Illustrative examples--Indicators of activities to be 
     measured include:
       (A) Improve screening and assessment of families.
       (B) Increase availability of comprehensive individualized 
     treatment.
       (C) Increase the number/proportion of families who enter 
     treatment promptly.
       (D) Increase engagement and retention.
       (E) Decrease the number of children who re-enter foster 
     care after being returned to families who had alcohol or drug 
     problems.
       (F) Increase number/proportion of staff trained.
       (G) Increase the proportion of parents who complete 
     treatment and show improvement in their employment status.
       Reports--The child welfare and alcohol and drug abuse and 
     treatment agencies in each eligible state, and the Indian 
     tribes that receive funds shall submit no later than the end 
     of the first fiscal year, a report to the Secretary 
     describing activities carried out, and any changes in the use 
     of the funds planned for the succeeding fiscal year. After 
     the first report is submitted, a State or Indian tribe must 
     submit to the Secretary annually, by the end of the third 
     quarter in the fiscal year, a report on the application of 
     the indicators to its activities, an explanation of why these 
     indicators were chosen, and the results of the evaluation to 
     date. After the third year of the grant all of the States 
     must include indicators that address improvements in 
     treatment. A final report on evaluation and the progress made 
     must be submitted to the Secretary not later than the end of 
     each five year funding cycle of the grant.
       Penalty--States or Indian tribes that fail to report on the 
     indicators will not be eligible for grant funds for the 
     fiscal year following the one in which it failed to report, 
     unless a plan for improving their ability to monitor and 
     evaluate their activities is submitted to the Secretary and 
     then approved in a timely manner.
       Secretarial reports and evaluations--Beginning October 1, 
     2003, the Secretary, in consultation with the Assistant 
     Secretary for the Administration for Children and Families, 
     and the Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental 
     Health Service Administration, shall report annually, to the 
     Committee on Ways and Means of the House of the 
     Representatives and the Committee on Finance of the Senate on 
     the joint activities, indicators, and progress made with 
     families.
       Evaluations--Not later than six months after the end of 
     each five year funding cycle, the Secretary shall submit a 
     report to the above committees, the results of the 
     evaluations as well as recommendations for further 
     legislative actions.

  Mr. ROCKEFELLER. Mr. President, I am here today to talk about our 
Nation's most vulnerable children, innocent children who have been 
abused or neglected by parents, many of whom have alcohol and drug 
abuse problems. Over 500,000 children receive foster care services 
nationwide, including 3,000 children in West Virginia. These numbers 
belie our policy that every child deserves a safe, healthy, permanent 
home, as specified in the fundamental guidelines set forth in the 1997 
Adoption and Safe Families Act, ASFA.
  National statistics tell us that a majority of families in the child 
welfare system may struggle with alcohol and/or drug abuse. One recent 
survey noted that 67 percent of parents involved in child abuse or 
neglect cases required alcohol or drug treatment, but only one-third of 
those parents received appropriate treatment or services to address 
their addiction. In my own state of West Virginia, over half of the 
children placed in the foster care system have families with substance 
abusing behaviors. We are also aware of countless numbers of other 
children who, while not receiving foster care services, are at risk of 
neglect due their parents' addictions.
  Another stunning, sad statistic is that children with open child 
welfare cases whose parents have substance abuse problems are younger 
than other children in the foster care system and are more likely to 
suffer severe, chronic neglect from their parents. Once these children 
are placed in the foster care system, they tend to stay in care longer 
than other children.
  It will be impossible to achieve the critical goal of safe, healthy, 
and permanent homes for children in the child protection system if we 
do not address the problems of parental alcohol and drug abuse.
  Examining the effects of substance abuse involves complex and far-
reaching issues. As part of the 1997 Adoption and Safe Families Act, 
the Department of Health and Human Services, HHS, was directed to study 
substance abuse as it relates to and within the framework of the child 
protection system. Their important report, ``Blending Perspectives and 
Building Common Ground,'' outlines many challenges. It concludes that 
we lack the necessary array of appropriate substance abuse treatment 
programs and services, and emphasizes the well-known lack of services 
designed for women, especially for women and their children. In 
addition, the report notes that the separate substance abuse and child 
protection systems have no purposeful, planned partnership to address 
the unique needs of abused and neglected children.
  The report details the lack of a cooperative, inter-agency 
relationship between the two systems whose staffs

[[Page S1998]]

work diligently to provide services under their own jurisdiction, but 
have minimal communication, different goals, and divergent service 
philosophies with regard to each other. For example, each system has 
different definitions of the ``client served.'' While ASFA views the 
child as ``the client'' and expects child protection agencies and 
courts to consider termination, within a 22-month time frame, of 
parental rights for children receiving foster care service for 15 
months, substance abuse treatment providers often view the adult as the 
client, with different time frames and expectations for recovery.
  In order to meet the goals of ASFA, we must develop new ways to 
encourage these two independent systems to work together on behalf of 
parents with substance abuse problems and their children. The issues of 
addiction and children receiving protection services cannot be 
addressed in isolation. It is essential to consider the total picture: 
The needs of the child, the needs of the parents, and cost-effective 
services that meet adoption laws' goal to provide every child with a 
safe, healthy, and permanent home.

  The HHS report identifies significant priorities. First, it calls for 
building collaborative working relationships between the child 
protection and substance abuse agencies.
  While substance abuse treatment is a challenge in and of itself, the 
report explains that effective treatment is further complicated for 
parents with children. The majority of substance abuse treatment 
programs are not set up to serve both women and their children. While 
our country in general lacks the comprehensive services needed for such 
families, there are some models and promising practices on how to serve 
both parents and children.
  One model can be found in my State, the MOTHERS program in Beckley, 
WV, which serves women and their children. The majority of these women 
have either lost custody of their children or were under child 
protection service investigation or mandate, are typically unemployed 
and untrained for gainful employment, have few aspirations, and wrestle 
with depression. This innovation program simultaneously addresses the 
needs of both mothers and their children, through individual and joint 
therapy, in such areas as recovery, mental health counseling, 
employment, academic education, healthy living skills, parenting, and 
family permanency. These services are provided using a residential 
model where mothers and their children live in a therapeutic 
environment and receive temporary housing, meal service, recreation 
activities, and transportation to and from community Alcoholics 
Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meetings. The bill we are introducing 
today would give other localities the opportunity to develop similar 
programs or alternative models.
  In addition, the HHS report recognizes the importance of research to 
better understand the relationship between substance abuse and child 
maltreatment.
  Today, I am proud to join with my colleagues, Senators Snowe, DeWine, 
and Dodd, to introduce legislation to address the challenges of abused 
and neglected children whose parents have alcohol and/or drug problems. 
We have worked with state officials, child advocates, criminal justice 
officials, and members of the substance abuse community to develop the 
Child Protection/Alcohol and Drug Partnership Act of 2001. This bill 
builds on ASFA's fundamental goal of making a child's safety, health, 
and permanency paramount.
  To accomplish this bold purpose, we must invest in a partnership 
designed to respond to the needs and priorities outlined in the HHS 
report. I believe that a new program and a new approach are essential. 
Existing substance abuse treatment programs such as those designed to 
serve single males cannot respond to the needs of a mother and her 
child.
  To be effective, we must connect child protection and substance abuse 
treatment staffs and support them to work in partnership to test and 
identify best practices. Forging new partnerships take time--and it 
takes money. That is why this bill invests $1.9 billion over 5 years to 
combat the problems of substance abuse faced by families whose children 
are sheltered by the child protection system. I understand this is a 
large sum, but alcohol and drug abuse is an enormous problem in our 
country and represents an overwhelming financial and human loss. Before 
reacting to the bill expenditure alone, consider the costs we would 
incur if we remain silent on this issue. If we do not invest in 
substance abuse prevention and treatment for such families, we cannot 
effectively combat the abuse and neglect of children.
  Our bill is designed to tackle this tough issue and encourage child 
protection and substance abuse agencies to work in partnership and 
promote innovative approaches within both of their systems to support 
women and their children. This bill can provide funding for outreach 
services to families, screening and assessment to enhance prevention, 
outpatient or residential treatment services, retention supports to aid 
mothers to remain in treatment, and aftercare services to keep families 
and children safe. This bill also addresses the importance of dual 
training for the staffs of the child protection and substance abuse 
treatment systems, to share effective strategies in order to meet the 
goal of safe and permanent homes for children.
  If we choose to invest in child protection and substance abuse 
partnerships for families, we can achieve two things. For many 
families, I hope that parents will achieve sobriety through treatment 
and that their children will return to a safe and stable home. For 
those who are unsuccessful, we will know that we have put forth a 
reasonable, good faith effort and learned an important lesson--that 
some children need alternate homes, and that we will still need to 
pursue adoption for some children. Under the Adoption and Safe Families 
Act, courts cannot move forward on adoption until appropriate services 
have been provided to families. That is the law, and we need to follow 
it.
  Our bill will promote a responsible approach with a focus on 
accountability. It requires annual progress reports that detail defined 
outcomes, challenges, and proposed solutions. These reports will 
evaluate parental treatment outcomes, the child's safety, and the 
stability of the family.
  Throughout the years, I have worked to address the needs of abused 
and neglected children in a bipartisan matter. I am proud to continue 
this bipartisan approach as we come to grips with such a controversial 
and emotionally charged issue as protecting children who are abused and 
neglected by their substance-abusing parents.
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