While many believe parental substance use – including prescription drugs, illicit drugs and alcohol, but especially opioids – has been the primary cause of the increase in foster care placements, thus far there has been little empirical evidence to support this assertion. To better understand how select indicators associated with substance use relate to the changing trend in child welfare caseloads, ASPE carried out a research study that included both quantitative analysis and qualitative data collection. The quantitative portion of the study examines the strength of the relationship between two substance use indicators – drug overdose death rates and drug-related hospitalization rates - and child welfare caseloads at the county level. The qualitative portion of the study documents the perspectives and experiences of child welfare administrators and practitioners, substance use treatment administrators and practitioners, judges and other legal professionals, law enforcement officials, and other service providers—the local experts—who on a day-to-day basis work with families struggling with substance use disorders. Combined, the quantitative and the qualitative results describe how the child welfare system interacts with community partners to serve an increasing population of parents whose substance use has impaired their ability to parent, placing their children at risk. Read More >>
Replies