Drug Endangered Child Program (DEC)

A Proposal for a Multi-Disciplinary Integrated Response System

Contents

Overview Purpose Mission and Values Partnerships/Roles Training Protocols/Continuum of Care Evaluation References

Overview

Nationally:

Drugs, $, and weapons are typical seizures by LE agents during “controlled buys” or clandestine lab raids;

Growing phenomenon of children exposed to the production, sale, and use of illicit drugs

Overview

500% increase in cases where Methamphetamine is drug of choice in TX programs (Manning, 1999)

San Diego – Methamphetamine Capital Production: multi-level, organized criminal

enterprise & “mom & pop shops” Every state, county, and city now faced with the

need to respond CY2004: 82/129 CHIPS Petitions - SLC CY2001-04: SLC Sheriff -29 meth labs

Overview

Methamphetamine (Meth)

Man made, extremely addictive, CNS stimulant. It is extremely powerful

Known as: crank, ice, crystal, glass, speed, mud, or chalk, etc

Smoked, snorted, orally ingested, or injected

OverviewEffects on Users

Intense, pleasurable “high” last several hours;

Followed by an equally intense “crash” Addicts: extreme paranoia, anxiety,

confusion, hallucinations, violence, depression, insomnia;

Health: increased BP & heart rate, dopamine depletion, kidney & liver

Before and After

Before and After

OverviewMethamphetamine Production

Drug Cartels – Organized Crime

Local Labs – Urbane, Rural Private Homes/Apartments Hotels/Motels Storage Facilities Hunting Shacks/Cabins Ice House, etc

Meth Lab in a Home

Mobile Lab in a Vehicle

Ice House Lab

Meth Lab in a Cabin

Meth Labs - Dangers

Fires Explosions Toxic Waste Sites Inhalation and exposure to toxic fumes

and chemicals Accidental ingestion of chemicals and

contaminated foods Chaos & poor supervision Adults involved in criminal behavior

Meth Labs/Homes - Hazards

Drugs and drug paraphernalia Booby traps Guns & weapons Exposed wiring Chemicals in refrigerators Strangers

Dangers of Meth Labs

Chemical hazards from cooking process

Solvents

Corrosives

Toxics

Reactives

Meth Lab Waste

METH WASTE– BABBITT, MN

Meth Lab Dump Site

OverviewDangers For Children

Individuals involved in the production, sale, and use of Methamphetamine exhibit chaotic lifestyles;

Their children are at significant risk of physical abuse, sexual abuse, neglect, and drug-related violence by family members and the array of strangers who enter the home to buy or use drugs (Harris, 2004)

Purpose

Community Responses to “Big Problems”

1980’s – Domestic Violence & DAIP

1990’s – Child Sexual Abuse & 1st Witness

2000’s – Drugs and Drug Endangered Child Programs

Purpose

Ensure children exposed to the production, use, and sale of illicit drugs receive community specific service delivery that meets their unique needs;

Facilitate the identification and collaboration of various disciplines

Build coalitions; Meth Task Force Jointly develop discipline-specific protocols

(review, revise, finalize, & publish)

Purpose

Coordinate a multi-disciplinary integrated response to children

Team meetings, cross training, goals Provide direct service to children Organize neighborhoods & communities Participate in the development and

implementation of creative community support programming; Shared Family Care Program

Search for funding Evaluate

Mission

To Protect,

Promote, and

Improve the health and quality of life in St. Louis County

Values

Safety

Permanency

Well Being

Collaboration

Dedication

Partnerships

Law Enforcement

Assume investigatory duties at the site of the production, sale, or use of illicit drugs

State Municipal Tribal County

Partnerships

Fire, EMT, HAZMAT Team

Assist in the management of environmental hazards from production

Testing Clean-up

Partnerships

Medical

Develop protocols

Conduct medical evaluations & screenings to ensure the child’s physical and mental health needs are met

Partnerships

Justice

County Attorney’s Office, in conjunction with municipalities and Tribal authorities, would be responsible for litigation of criminal drug cases and juvenile child protection (CHIPS) cases;

Public defenders and victim’s advocacy would be a positive addition

Partnerships

Public and Tribal Social Services

Intake workers will provide for immediate protection and safety; gather forensic data; transport for evaluation and address placement need

DEC social worker will initiate the development of the DEC program; assume co-coordination with public health

Identify team members, build coalitions, develop protocols, coordinate responses, facilitate team meetings, etc.

Partnerships

Public & Tribal Social Services

DEC worker will conduct adjunctive home visitations with families and children in concert with pubic and tribal case managers to ensure safety and well-being (Kitzmann, 1997)

DEC worker will assist in the recruitment, initial training, and continuing education of Shared Family Care Providers (Barth, 1994)

Partnerships

Public Health

Public Health Nurse (PHN) will initiate development of the DEC program; assume co-coordination with social services;

Identify team members, build coalitions, develop protocols, coordinate responses, facilitate team meetings, etc

PHN will conduct adjunctive home visitation; track safety, well-being and progress

Foster Care ServiceShared Family Care (SFC)

Dual – Adult & Child Licensed Foster Home

Services to parent with chemical health issues and their child(ren)

Provide assistance, mentoring, parent skill training, independent living skills training

Keep family intact; and prepare them for independence (Barth, 1994, 1999; Barth & Price, 2005)

Foster Care ServicesShared Family Care (SFC)

Human Services Roles Provide dual licensed foster homes Access to chemical health treatment and

support Provide initial training; continuing

education for foster homes Assistance and support services which

facilitates transition to independence within the community

Foster Care ServicesShared Family Care (SFC)

Public Health Role Pre/Post natal care monitoring Child development education to parent and

provider Child development monitoring/on-going

testing Child immunizations Assist with initial training and continuing

education of providers Assist parent(s) with community transition

Training for DEC Teams

Specialized training related to drug cases and child maltreatment – forensic data collection

Drug environments – exposures Develop specific skill sets Develop curriculum and training modules

for SFC providers/mentors UMD – CW Spring Conference

Protocols

Develop a response matrix for each discipline or core agency

Identify important responses or action steps as it relates to: Team member Their location Procedure Timeline Documentation/reporting

Protocols

Law Enforcement

Assess condition of the child

Place child into protective custody

Collect physical evidence

Protocols

Fire – EMT – HAZMET

Coordination with on-site law enforcement

Stabilization – respond to trauma

Field Assessments - samples

Decontaminations

Protocols

Public and Tribal Social Services

Accept transfer of child & notify DEC Team (SW/PHN)

Arrange for any decontamination of the child; medical evaluations; screenings; etc

Protocols

Public & Tribal Social Services

Conduct initial interviews Network with foster care workers/providers Provide community support services Conduct home visitation Organize /communities Provide education/awareness

Protocols

Public Health

Collaborate with law enforcement and child protection services/DEC social worker

Network with the clinical/medical community Conduct home visitation Organize neighborhoods/communities Provide public education/awareness

Protocols

Medical

Emergency Immediate

Treatment

Non-Emergency Medical Exam Screenings Urine/Blood Samples

Protocols - Medical

Protocols

Justice

Review Evidence Criminal Charges No Criminal Charges Juvenile Court CHIPS

Protocols

Foster Care – SFC Recruit Train Referral Process Screen placements Provide regular/periodic staffing for team

related to the placement of mother and child in SFC

Provide early and continuing mentorship for parent in care

Evaluation - Outcomes

Creation of a DEC program Participation of core community

agencies Train team members Review, rewrite, publish protocols Regular & periodic DEC program team

meetings Community outreach & education

Evaluation - Outcomes

Children will have safe environments Children will receive appropriate

screenings and evaluations Children will receive appropriate

education SFC participants will remain together Parents will continue treatment and

recovery efforts

Evaluation - Outcomes

Children placed in alternative care will be reunited with parents or achieve alternative permanency

References

Barth, R.P. (1994). Shared Family Care: Child Protection and Family Preservation. Social Work, 79, 515-525.

Barth, R.P (1999). Shared Family Care: Providing Services to Parents and Children Placed Together. Child Welfare, 78, 88-98.

Barth, R.P. & Price, A. (2005) Shared Family Care: Evidence from Implementing an Innovative Child Protection and Family Preservation Program. Forthcoming In J. Scott & H. Ward (Eds). Promoting the Well Being of Vulnerable Children.

Harris, J. (2004). Drug Endangered Children – Police Practice. The FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, February.

References

Manning, T. (1999). Drug Labs and Endangered Children – Children of Methamphetamine Makers. The FBI Law Enforcement Bulleting, July.

Kitzman, H., Olds, D.L., & Henderson, C.R. (1997). Long-Term Effects of Home Visitation On Maternal Life Course and Child Abuse and Neglect; Fifteen Year Follow-up of a Randomized Trial. Journal of American Medical Association, 278, 637-643.

References

Photos

Kurtz, David. (2004) Northwest Toxicology, Salt Lake City, Utah. Presentation at the 2nd Annual Idaho Drug Endangered Child Conference.

Mendoza, E. (2004). Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services, Bureau of Child Protection. Presentation at the 2nd Annual Idaho Drug Endangered Children Conference.

Poppenberg, B. (2004) St. Louis County Public Health and Human Services. Presentation at the St. Louis County Human Service Confernece.

Websites

http://www.nationaldec.org/index.asp http://www.azag.gov/DEC/ http://www.colodec.org/index.asp http://dec.co.riverside.ca.us/ http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/ http://www.practicenotes.org/vol10_n2/ref_v10n

2.htm http://www.isp.state.id.us/DEC_Conference/mat

erials.html http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/meth/lab/

children.html