Drug Endangered Children Georgia Accountability Court ... GA... · finding children in meth labs’ homes and other areas where they were living or playing. ... • A child located

NDCI: A Professional Services Division of NADCP

National Drug Court Institute

Tribal Healing to WellnessCourt Training

Drug Endangered ChildrenGeorgia Accountability Court

State ConferenceSeptember 2016

Vanessa PriceNDCI Division Director


Baby Brianna


Department of Justice: Originally stemming from the methamphetamine crisis, this movement was initiated within

the last decade to respond to the growing phenomenon of finding children in meth labs’ homes and other areas where

they were living or playing.

What is a drug endangered child? That is a great question!

NDCI: A Professional Services Division of NADCP 4

What is a drug endangered child? The definition……

A drug endangered child is a young person under the age of 18 who lives in or is exposed to an environment where drugs, including pharmaceuticals, are present for any number of reasons, including trafficking and manufacturing of these drugs.

As a result of that exposure, these children experience or are at high risk of experiencing physical, sexual or emotional abuse, harm or neglect


• A child located in a lab manufacturing a controlled dangerous substance

• A child who, by no choice of their own, is present during drug sales and use

• A child who is put in harms way due to the use of narcotics by those who should be responsible for them

WHAT IS A DRUG ENDANGERED CHILD

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• It’s a community strategy to break the cycle of drug abuse and violence by having law enforcement, as the usual first responder, play a greater role in intervention, prevention and treatment by identifying children, as early as possible, living in dangerous drug environments and providing them the services they so desperately need.It’s all about law enforcement (first responders) taking action with community involvement.

What is the Drug Endangered Children Program?

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• Drugs present and/or accessible to child• Children being consistently exposed to users, dealers and cooks• Needles• Glass pipes, razor blades, and other paraphernalia• Accessible weapons• Booby traps• Imitating adult behaviors • Environmental dangers—lab trash and infestation

HAZARDS DUE TO LIFESTYLE

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• Children of addicted parents exhibit symptoms of depression and anxiety more than do children of non-addicted families.

• Children of addicted families experience greater physical and mental health problems and welfare cost.

Impact of Addiction on Children

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• Children of addicted parents have a high rate of behavioral problems.

• Children of addicted parents are at greater risk for placement outside the home.

Impact of Addiction on Children

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• Chemical contamination• Fires and explosions• Firearms• Pornography• Needles• Abuse and neglect

What dangers of exposure exist?

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• Diminished ability of caretakers to meet the day to day needs of children in their care because of the impact of drugs on the brain.

• Early intervention to address unmet needs in the family• Identify resources necessary for the family to get on the road to

recovery• Collaborative approach through programs like Specialty Courts

REASONS A DEC TEAM IS NECESSARY

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• Law Enforcement• District Attorney - Prosecutor Assigned• Social Services - CPS Worker Assigned

Additional Recommendations• Fire/Haz-Mat• Health Services/Public Health• Medical• Code Enforcement

The DEC Response Team


Drug courts integrate alcohol and other drug treatment services with justice system case

processing.

Drug Court Key Component # 1


DECStrategy

Prosecution

Law Enforcement

Identify Others:Community

GroupsTribal

Gov’t AgenciesOrganizations

Social Services/CPS

Getting Started - Overlapping Interest

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• Cross training of disciplines having the responsibility of protecting children.

• Reduce duplication of services thereby becoming more effective and efficient.

• Ensure crime reductions by having intervention and prevention programs.

• Use evidence based programs/strategies. • Start with the end in mind (comprehensive delivery of

resources and services).

The Challenge of the Future

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• Drug courts provide access to a continuum of alcohol, drug, and other related treatment and rehabilitation services.



Substance abuse has touched every family and circle of friends in America and causes and aggravates the nation’s most wrenching social problems -violence and property crimes, soaring health care costs, family breakup, domestic violence and child abuse, the spread of AIDS, teen pregnancy, poverty, low productivity……….

Americans, comprising only 4% of the world’s population, consume 2/3’s of the worlds illegal drugs.

Joseph A Califano, Jr., Former Secretary of Health, Education & Welfare “ HIGH SOCIETY: How Substance abuse Ravages America and What to do About it” May 2007

How Substance Abuse Ravages America

The Impact

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• School problems– delinquency– absenteeism

• Criminal behavior• Homelessness• Unemployment• Poverty• Addictions

Social and Emotional Consequences

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• Isolation• Feelings of guilt and shame• Poor peer relations• Poor anger management• Chaotic lifestyle• Attachment Disorders


• Lack of nurturing and emotional response– Developmental delays– Depression– Attachment disorders– Malnutrition and failure to thrive

• Failure to protect– Trading children for drugs– Emotional abuse– Exposure to drugs, dangerous people– Sexual abuse– Physical abuse– Disconnected smoke detectors, standing water, etc.

Ways Children are Endangered

19Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs


Forging partnerships among drug courts, public agencies and community-based organizations

generates support and increases effectiveness.


How important are partnerships in the community for your drug court?


• The children were dealt with in the most expedient manner- Left in the home- Given to a relative- Given to a family friend

• What law enforcement stressed- Drug seizures- Lab Seizures- Money seized- Guns seized- Asset forfeitures- Arrests

What The Past Has Taught Us


No need to wait for injuryCare or custody relationship is enoughPermissive conductAllowing a likelihood of injury

Code of Child Endangerment


Four service components1. Emergency Response2. Family Maintenance3. Family Reunification4. Permanent Placement

Statement of NCSACW Consortium “Family members who have substance use disordersundermine family stability and negatively affect child safety, well-being, and psychological and emotional development”

County Child Welfare Services

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• With four million youth in the United States estimated to have experienced at least one traumatic event, childhood trauma has become a pressing public health concern

• Interpersonal events such as physical or sexual abuse, war, community violence, neglect, maltreatment, loss of a caregiver, witnessing violence or experiencing trauma vicariously; it can also result from severe or life threatening injuries, illness and accidents

Trauma Informed Care

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• 35-46 percent of adolescents report witnessing violence• Youth who have experienced trauma may be more likely to be involved

in illegal behavior for a variety of reasons, including the neurological, psychological and social effects of trauma.

• The majority of brain development is completed during the first five years of life, with the most critical development occurring within the first two years.


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• People who experienced trauma as children are also more likely to develop life-long psychiatric conditions, including personality disorders, conduct disorder, ADHD, depression, anxiety, substance abuse disorders and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

• Research shows that a majority of people with these histories experience school problems; school dropout and expulsion rates are as high as three times those of peers who had not experienced trauma


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• Cross training of disciplines having the responsibility of protecting children.

• Reduce duplication of services thereby becoming more effective & efficient.

• Ensure crime reductions by having intervention & prevention programs.

• Use evidence base programs/strategies • Start with the end in mind (comprehensive delivery of resources

& services)

The Challenge of the Future


• Be specific about documentation and information you need.• Assure them you do not need interpretation of harm, just

documentation.• Let them know your criteria for substantiation.• Participate with interviews of children. • Share family background if you have it. • Share observations that may be significant: example, level of

crying and distress and parent’s attempt to comfort children.• Communicate with LE about ongoing cases or repeat referrals

that may benefit from coercive treatment.

How CPS Can Help Law Enforcement


CPS History Check

• Have there been prior child abuse referrals?• Is there an open dependency case?• Other families residing in the home?• Child safety information for Law Enforcement or CPS at the

scene• Law Enforcement and victim safety information


• Prosecutor should be the leader, take responsibility for the case.

• Preparation is the key to success. • But CPS must be pro-active, too.• Experienced investigator / inexperienced

prosecutors ?

Everyone Must Be Pro-Active


• TEAM: Prosecutors and investigators both being pro-active to achieve objective (protect the child)

• Drug Courts present a multi-disciplinary team approach with early intervention and comprehensive wrap around services

Everyone Must Be Pro-Active


• You are the eyes and ears for our office – if you can’t explain what happens, we don’t know.

• Your ability to communicate with the victim / witness is one of your most important jobs.

• Poor writing = poor results.

Writing / Communicating is Important


• Communicates the facts of the case to the DA.• Provides crucial witness information.• Report will likely be a key factor either at trial or disposition of

case.

CPS Report – Why it matters


•Emergency Placement•Non-Offending Parent•Relative Placement•Foster Care

Placement of DEC Children

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• The children’s needs for medical assessment, testing and on-going treatment.

• What symptoms to watch for and what to do should any be present.

• Their responsibility as temporary caregivers.• What CPS follow-up will entail.

Caregivers Need to Know

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• Counseling• Parent Education• Child Care Training• Day or Residential Treatment• Random Drug Testing• Respite Care• Supervised Visitation

Family Maintenance and Reunification Services

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• Chronic or abusive history of drug use• No treatment for the past three years

– Varies from state to state

• Prolonged incarceration

Denial of Family Reunification

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• VICTIM OF CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT• HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUT• DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSER• LIFE-LONG HEALTH PROBLEMS• FINANCIAL DEPENDENCY• UNEMPLOYABLE• DRUG DEALER AND/OR GANG MEMBER• FUTURE FELON (CRIMINAL)• CHILD ABUSER/SEXUAL PREDATOR

The Future for a Drug Endangered Child Without Intervention May Be:

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• Concentrate on the high value cases

• Fidelity to the 10 Key Components

• Ongoing judicial authority

• Interagency team approach

• Get it right the first time

Recipe for Success




Tribal Healing to WellnessCourt TrainingThank You


[email protected] (office)

405-514-9198 (cell)

Documents

Drug Endangered Children Georgia Accountability Court ... GA... · finding children in meth labs’ homes and other areas where they were living or playing. ... • A child located