United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office Health, Education, and Human Services Division author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 1997-10-28 monographic deposited born digital 16 p. GA 1.13:T-HEHS-98-40 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-T-HEHS-98-40 P0b002ee18039b04d f:he98040t DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-28 GAOREPORTS-T-HEHS-98-40 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-T-HEHS-98-40 T-HEHS-98-40 Foster children Child custody State programs Drug treatment Child abuse Alcohol or drug abuse problems Child care programs Los Angeles (CA) New York (NY) Philadelphia (PA) Testimony HEHS

For many children, it is parental substance abuse that first brings them to the attention of the child welfare system. The discovery that a newborn has been prenatally exposed to drugs or alcohol often triggers an investigation of suspected child abuse and neglect. In some states, prenatal substance exposure itself constitutes neglect and is grounds for removing a child from its parents' custody. Substance abuse can undermine a parent's ability to care for older children as well and can lead to child abuse or neglect. As a result, some of these children are removed from the home and placed in foster care. Moreover, once a child is in the system, parental substance abuse is a significant hurdle in their path out of the system--a hurdle that requires drug or alcohol treatment for the parent in addition to services for the family. The nature of drug and alcohol addiction means that a parent's recovery can be lengthy. These cases are often further complicated by such problems as mental illness and homelessness. Foster care cases involving parental substance abuse, therefore, further strain a child welfare system already overburdened by the sheer number of foster care cases. Although child welfare agencies are supposed to resolved foster care cases in a timely manner and make a reasonable effort to reunite children with their parents, treating parental drug or alcohol problems can be a long process. As a result, it may be difficult for child welfare officials to make permanency decisions within shorter time frames before they know whether the parent is likely to succeed in drug or alcohol treatment. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-T-HEHS-98-40/html/GAOREPORTS-T-HEHS-98-40.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-T-HEHS-98-40/pdf/GAOREPORTS-T-HEHS-98-40.pdf GAO/T-HEHS-98-40 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-T-HEHS-98-40 Testimony GAO/T-HEHS-98-40; Parental Substance Abuse: Implications for Children, the Child Welfare System, and Foster Care Outcomes; Foster children Child custody State programs Drug treatment Child abuse Alcohol or drug abuse problems Child care programs Los Angeles (CA) New York (NY) Philadelphia (PA) Title 42 Section 675(5)(C) 42 U.S.C. 675(5)(C)