Substance Abuse and the Child Welfare System

Substance abuse is the overindulgence in and dependence of a drug or other chemical leading to effects that are detrimental to the individual's physical and mental health, or the welfare of others. Substance abuse may lead to addiction or substance dependence. Substance abuse may be a contributing factor for between one-third and two-thirds of maltreated children in the child welfare system. Substance abuse is not something that only happens to people of a certain income level or people who live in certain neighborhoods.

Problem parents enable teens to abuse prescription drugs, marijuana, alcohol, with prescription drugs and marijuana availability up sharply. Some teens say prescription drugs are easier to buy than beer. Problem parents—those who fail to monitor their children’s school night activities, safeguard their prescription drugs, address the problem of drugs in their children’s schools, and set good examples—increase the risk that their 12- to 17-year old children will smoke, drink, and use illegal and prescription drugs, according to the National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse XIII: Teens and Parents, the 13th annual back-to-school survey conducted by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University.

There are on-going debates as to the exact distinctions between substance abuse and substance dependence, but current practice standard distinguishes between the two by defining substance dependence in terms of physiological and behavioral symptoms of substance use, and substance abuse in terms of the social consequences of substance use. Co-occurring disorders is the simultaneous presence of two or more disorders, such as the coexistence of a mental health disorder and substance abuse problem. Dependence almost always implies abuse, but abuse frequently occurs without dependence, particularly when an individual first begins to abuse a substance.

Dependence involves physiological processes while substance abuse reflects a complex interaction between the individual, the abused substance and society. A person can take a drug once and that can be enough for his body to decide that it wants that drug all of the time. Physical complications of chronic alcohol dependence include cirrhosis (liver damage), hepatitis, altered brain-cell functioning, nerve damage, gastritis (inflammation of the stomach), premature aging, impotence and infertility, and a variety of reproductive disorders.

All drugs that are addicting can activate and affect the brain's pleasure circuit. Someone who is addicted uses drugs without thinking of the consequences, such as problems with health, money, relationships, and performance at work or at school. Given that much work in substance abuse is interdisciplinary, one may find social work articles in a variety of professional journals, from medicine and nursing, to journals devoted specifically to addiction. It becomes the responsibility of a trained addiction treatment professional to evaluate you and determine the most effective modality of care.

The Substance Abuse Prevention Program (SAPP) is a nationally recognized program designed to provide education and to increase awareness in the areas of alcohol and other drug prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery. While no single approach for substance abuse and addiction treatment exists, comprehensive and carefully tailored treatment works. The Greenbook Directory is primarily a listing of chemical dependency service providers certified by the Division of Alcohol and Substance Abuse (DASA). National Substance Abuse Index provides a centralized, comprehensive, and easy-to-use directory for the full spectrum of resources related to dealing with alcoholism and drug addiction. By learning about the available centers, people can help their loved ones choose a substance abuse program when they are ready to finally give up their drugs of choice. Your doctor can give you support and help you find a treatment program that meets your needs. Alcohol Support Groups can give you the tools and support you need to break your addiction and move on with your life.

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