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The role of substance use in child welfare caseloads

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  • Ghertner, Robin
  • Waters, Annette
  • Radel, Laura
  • Crouse, Gilbert

Abstract

Anecdotal evidence suggests that recent rises in foster care caseloads are due to increasing parental substance use, particularly misuse of opioids. This study tests the association between child welfare caseloads and two measures of substance use prevalence, including drug overdose deaths and drug-related hospitalizations, for most counties in the United States over the 2011 to 2016 period. We use several statistical models to account for confounding factors, including models examining cross-county variation as well as within county variation. We find four primary findings. First, both measures positively associate with higher foster care entry rates, after accounting for various demographic, socioeconomic, and other local and state-level factors. Second, we find that the relationship is stronger in metropolitan counties than in non-metropolitan counties. Third, hospitalization rates due to different classes of substances, including opioids, have comparable relationships with foster care entry rates, though alcohol has the strongest relationship. Finally, higher substance use prevalence predicts more complex and severe cases of child maltreatment, with more children ending up in foster care in counties with higher overdose death and drug hospitalization rates.

Suggested Citation

  • Ghertner, Robin & Waters, Annette & Radel, Laura & Crouse, Gilbert, 2018. "The role of substance use in child welfare caseloads," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 83-93.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:cysrev:v:90:y:2018:i:c:p:83-93
    DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2018.05.015
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Lloyd, Margaret H. & Akin, Becci A. & Brook, Jody, 2017. "Parental drug use and permanency for young children in foster care: A competing risks analysis of reunification, guardianship, and adoption," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 177-187.
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    3. Lloyd, Margaret H. & Akin, Becci A., 2014. "The disparate impact of alcohol, methamphetamine, and other drugs on family reunification," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 72-81.
    4. Scott Cunningham & Keith Finlay, 2013. "Parental Substance Use And Foster Care: Evidence From Two Methamphetamine Supply Shocks," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 51(1), pages 764-782, January.
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    6. Brook, Jody & McDonald, Tom, 2009. "The impact of parental substance abuse on the stability of family reunifications from foster care," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(2), pages 193-198, February.
    7. Lynch, Sean & Sherman, Laura & Snyder, Susan M. & Mattson, Margaret, 2018. "Trends in infants reported to child welfare with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS)," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 135-141.
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    2. Moreland, Angela & Newman, Carla & Crum, Kathleen I. & Are, Funlola, 2021. "Types of child maltreatment and child welfare involvement among opioid-using mothers involved in substance use treatment," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    3. Tang, Shichao & Matjasko, Jennifer L. & Harper, Christopher R. & Rostad, Whitney L. & Ports, Katie A. & Strahan, Andrea E. & Florence, Curtis, 2021. "Impact of Medicaid expansion and methadone coverage as a medication for opioid use disorder on foster care entries during the opioid crisis," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 130(C).
    4. Alexander Chapman, 2022. "The Opioid Crisis and Child Maltreatment Across Counties and Time in the United States, 2007–2017," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 703(1), pages 139-161, September.
    5. Miller, J. Jay & Cooley, Morgan & Owens, Larry & Fletcher, Jessica Day & Moody, Shannon, 2019. "Self-care practices among foster parents: An exploratory study," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 206-212.
    6. Lindsey Rose Bullinger & Benjamin C. Ward, 2021. "What about the children? How opioid use affects child well‐being," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 39(4), pages 737-759, October.
    7. Atkins, Danielle N. & Durrance, Christine Piette, 2021. "The impact of state-level prenatal substance use policies on infant foster care entry in the United States," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 130(C).
    8. Debra A. Strong & Alyson Burnett & Patricia Del Grosso & Mathew Stange, "undated". "Partnering to Reduce Substance Use and Child Maltreatment: 2014 Regional Partnership Grants Final Report," Mathematica Policy Research Reports 124298087de0448caf08cbf1f, Mathematica Policy Research.
    9. Cheng, Tyrone C. & Lo, Celia C., 2020. "Receipt of substance-use services by caregivers involved in the child-welfare system," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).
    10. Offiong, Asari & Powell, Terrinieka W. & Lewis, Quiana & Smith, Bianca & Prioleau, Morgan, 2020. "“I missed open arms”: The need for connectedness among Black youth affected by parental drug use," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 114(C).
    11. Hall, Martin T. & Walton, Matthew T. & Huebner, Ruth A. & Higgins, George E. & Kelmel, Aimee B. & Lorenz, Doug, 2021. "Sobriety treatment and recovery teams for families with co-occurring substance use and child maltreatment: A propensity score-matched evaluation," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    12. Dellor, Elinam D. & Allbright-Campos, Megan & Lee, Joyce Y. & Bunger, Alicia C. & Gadel, Fawn & Freisthler, Bridget, 2024. "Ohio START: An adaption of the National Sobriety Treatment and Recovery Teams model," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    13. Versen, Elysia & Everson, Courtney L. & Hwang, Sunah S. & LeBoeuf, Whitney, 2024. "Risk and protective factors associated with child welfare involvement among maternal-infant dyads affected by prenatal substance use," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    14. Bullinger, Lindsey Rose & Wing, Coady, 2019. "How many children live with adults with opioid use disorder?," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 1-1.

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