Children who experience foster care, write Youngmin Yi and Christopher Wildeman, are considerably more likely than others to have contact with the criminal justice system, both during childhood and as adults. And because children of color disproportionately experience foster care, improvements to the foster care system could reduce racial/ethnic…

Objective: This study examines permanency outcomes of families with children in foster care who participated in a comprehensive service-delivery program designed to assist families and communities in dealing with alcohol and other drug (AOD) problems. Method: Survival analysis is used to measure the impact of program participation on family…

Summarizes and analyzes the following issues in developing policy to address the problems of drug-exposed infants: (1) degree of harm; (2) identification; (3) interventions; (4) needs assessment; (5) child protection; and (6) drug treatment. Significant interventions, including expanded prenatal care and drug treatment programs, are proposed. (SLD)

A case example involving a Native American family referred to a child welfare agency illustrates social work intervention strategies that encourage cultural competence, recognize power differences between cultures, promote understanding of role variations and belief systems, consider alternative approaches for helping clients with drug or alcohol…

Reviews recent actions by state legislatures and courts in response to the problems of drug-exposed newborns. Also discusses civil and criminal court decisions regarding women who use drugs during pregnancy. State policy responses cannot be developed without a detailed assessment of the state's resources. (SLD)

Asserting that children who are abused or neglected are at risk of becoming future violent criminals, this report argues that this cycle of violence can be prevented by investing in recently confirmed abuse prevention and intervention strategies. The report presents information on the number of deaths each year due to abuse and neglect and calls…