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Q&A
ACS policy updates on marijuana use allegations and substance use impact
1:27:05
·
103 sec
Council Member Stevens inquires about ACS policy updates regarding marijuana use allegations, given its legalization. Commissioner Dannhauser explains the agency's approach to substance use in child welfare cases.
- ACS has trained staff to focus on the impact of substance use on child care, not just use itself
- The agency has been reducing the number of neglect or abuse petitions filed in family court
- ACS collaborates with health and hospitals to implement plans of safe care and assess the impact of substance use on parenting
- There's been a drop in calls to the State Central Register (SCR) for substance use alone
Althea V. Stevens
1:27:05
Yeah.
1:27:05
Because that's that was the next part of the question just around, like, especially because marijuana has been legalized, like, what what have you done to, like, update your policies?
1:27:14
What does that look like?
1:27:15
Because I do know, like, with the registry, it's a lot different, and you actually have to have.
1:27:19
I do know.
1:27:19
So it's a little different.
1:27:20
But just like have you updated those policies and what does that look like?
Jess Dannhauser
1:27:24
We've we've trained staff.
1:27:26
We also have made sure that we're communicating through child status, through all of our conversations with staff and training that it is about the impact on the child.
1:27:39
As as you know, we've been reducing the number of instances where we're filing neglect petitions or abuse petitions in family court.
1:27:49
And one of the areas that we looked at sort of many years ago is how do we make sure that we're not just using a positive toxicology.
1:28:00
A lot of the work has also been with health and hospitals.
Althea V. Stevens
1:28:02
Mhmm.
Jess Dannhauser
1:28:03
They are putting in place plans of safe care.
1:28:06
So if they're making sure that they're asking for consent from parents to do drug testing at the time of birth.
1:28:14
And if a parent is found to be positive talks for a particular substance.
1:28:22
They too have to ask the question.
1:28:24
Is this likely to impair the parenting?
1:28:27
And are they seeing evidence during that time.
1:28:31
If it's not, then they put in the plan of safe care.
1:28:34
They can connect families to services and they do not call the SCR.
1:28:36
We've seen a drop in that.
1:28:38
And it's critical that those plans of safe care are strong, and we know how the hospitals is working on that.
Althea V. Stevens
1:28:45
Okay.
1:28:46
Well, look forward to hearing more about that.
Jess Dannhauser
1:28:48
I'm