Webinar: "Pot, Parenting, and Government Intervention"

For those of you who might be interested, there is a webinar available through the ABA called "Pot, Parenting, and Government Intervention."  The webinar was originally held on May 18, 2015, but you can download and listen HERE.

The following is a summary description of the broadcast:

This webinar was offered on May 18, 2015. While marijuana cultivation, sale, and use remains illegal under federal law, there seems to be forward momentum to de-criminalize marijuana in a number of states (from de-criminalization down to parking violation level offenses, to legalized medical or even recreational use), the experience of front-line lawyers and advocates for children and parents involved in the child welfare system suggests that for the populations they serve (poor and disproportionately of color), marijuana use by parents still triggers drastic government intervention, including the removal of children and even the possible termination of parental rights. Why has a seeming broader tolerance for marijuana not translated to these systems? What are the equal justice issues involved? Is this reflective of the "criminalization of poverty"? What are the social and economic costs? The panelists for this webinar address these questions as well as many of the practical issues regarding marijuana and the child welfare system, both in states that have de-criminalized marijuana and in states where it is still illegal.

NJ Justices say Methadone Treatment While Pregnant Not Child Abuse

On December 22, 2014, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled that going through a methadone treatment program while pregnant, even when the newborn suffers from withdrawal symptoms, does not constitute child abuse.

The unanimous court overruled two lower court decisions that looked only at the harm to the child without considering whether the mother's actions were reasonable.  The court wrote: "We hold that, absent exceptional circumstances, a finding of abuse or neglect cannot be sustained based solely on a newborn's enduring methadone withdrawal following a mother's timely participation in a bona fide treatment program prescribed by a licensed health care professional to whom she has made full disclosure," 

You can find a full copy of the opinion HERE.

Resources for Parents With Trauma Histories

The National Child Traumatic Stress Network has fantastic resources for children who experience trauma and recognizes that parents involved in the child welfare system have also likely experienced their own trauma.  Check out their webpage dedicated to Birth Parents with Trauma Histories and the Child Welfare System.

The following is an introduction to one of their pamphlets, Birth parents with trauma histories and the child welfare system: A guide for judges and attorneys (link available below):

Judges and attorneys who work in the child welfare system are well aware that many of the children in the system have experienced trauma; less well recognized is that the birth parents of these children often have their own histories of childhood and adult trauma. For example, research indicates that 30-60% of maltreated children have caretakers who have experienced domestic violence themselves. Past or present experiences of trauma can affect a parent’s confidence and ability to keep children safe, work effectively with child welfare staff, and respond to the requirements of the courts. Fortunately, trauma-informed services are increasingly available for both parents and children who need them. Trauma-informed services include mental health services offered by trained professionals that address specific reactions to traumatic events. By recognizing the potential impact of trauma on parenting, judges and attorneys can more easily connect parents with those services.   

If you are looking for additional resources for parents who experience trauma.  Below are some of the pamphlets available:

For Parents
For Child Welfare Staff
For Judges and Attorneys
For Mental Health Professionals
For Resource Parents
For Court-Based Child Advocates and Guardian ad Litem

FREE Online Training from drugcourtonline.com

The National Drug Court Online Learning System has a great FREE online learning tool.  The courses that are offered relate to drug courts but the information on drug testing and addiction can be relevant to child welfare cases.

You can sign up by at www.drugcourtonline.org and by following these instructions.

If you try out any of the courses let us know what you think!

Which Came First, the Substance Abuse or the Domestic Violence?

Here is another summary from David Boyer of a presentation from the annual conference if the Utah Association for Domestic Violence Treatment that was held in Provo, Utah on October 10-12, 2014.

Which came first, the chicken or the egg? 

How does substance abuse affect domestic violence? 



Mr. Lewis E. Galway, M.Ed., CMHC, AADC, is the founder and director of ABC-Advanced Behavioral Counseling.

Correlation between substance abuse and domestic violence.

• In 75% of domestic violence cases between men and women, alcohol and or drugs are involved. Of these domestic violence cases involving alcohol, if the victim (man or woman) has been drinking the victim’s injuries will be more sever than if they had not been drinking.

• A study by Gondolf (1998) found that the only correlative predictor of recidivism (DV) was the use of alcohol. He found that drinkers were three times more likely to recidivate than non-drinkers.

• A Salt Lake County sheriff commented “in my experience alcohol is involved in 95% of the DV cases I am called to respond to.” He further stated. “In every case I can remember where the DV resulted in death, alcohol or drugs was involved.” 

Who are the Victims:

• The victim of DV is usually a cohabitant female. Victims of DV are usually killed at night. The killer is over the age of thirty and in ½ of the cases alcohol was involved.

Treatment Program That Treats Both Substance Abuse and DV Simultaneously 

Treatment of domestic violence and substance abuse should go hand-in-hand and occur simultaneously in order for the results to be effective.

Kent McDonald’s treatment program is one of the only treatment programs this presenter is aware of in SLC area, that treats both substance abuse and DV at the same time.  His contact information is:

Kent D. McDonald / Sandy Counseling Centers, L.M.F.T., M.S
Sandy Counseling Centers
8184 So. Highland Dr., C-8, Sandy, Utah 84093

Specialty/Specialties: Family, Relationship Issues, Child and Adolescent Issues, Trauma and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder [PTSD], Substance Abuse, Domestic Abuse/Violence, Loss/Grief, Parenting, Marriage

DUAL FOCUS - Domestic Violence with related Substance Abuse issues (26 weeks).