Understanding Methamphetamine's Impact on Foster and Adoptive Families

1. Information For: Foster/ Adoptive Parents And Other Care Givers

2. Presented By: Mike P. McGuire 2nd Judicial District Department of Correctional Services- Iowa

3. We Will Cover: • The Impact of Methamphetamine on the Family System. • The implications for Foster/Adoptive Parents and Caregivers. • Related System Issues. • Strategies to Increase Positive Outcomes for Children, Families, and Caregivers.

4. DRUGS ARE A SERIOUS PROBLEM 6th highest criminal caseload of the 94 districts in the United States

5. DRUGS ARE A SERIOUS PROBLEM 69% 62.3% 41.2% 14.2% Drug Trafficking Cases Meth Cases

6. SAD FACE OF METH

7. Methamphetamine Abuse and Child Welfare

8. Methamphetamine Is: • Highly Addictive • Initially Very Appealing to Many • Initially a Performance Enhancing Drug • A Drug That Knows No Boundaries • A Drug That Can Severely Impact a Persons Ability to Function Normally and Especially to Parent!

9. Methamphetamine Users: • Most Often Have Other Drug History • Substance Use Has Started in Adolescence or Before • Have Friends and Acquaintances that are Drug Users • Rarely Pay for the Drug Initially • Usage Often Quickly Escalates “Just Live to Use Meth”

10. The Impact on Families: • Issues of Abuse and Neglect are Significant. • The Exposure of Children to Toxins Where Meth is made or Used is a Huge Problem. • Infants Who Were Perinatally Exposed Can Have a Wide range of Issues • Living Environment is Often Very Poor • In Iowa Estimates Are Approximately 50% of Child Welfare Cases are Meth Related* • Iowa Dept. of Human Services “Methamphetamine and Child Welfare-Carol Gutchewsky

11. Healthy Families Provide Safety Self-care Open communication Individualized roles Continuity Troubled Families Safety jeopardized Co-dependency Closed communication Family roles Chaos HEALTHY AND TROUBLED FAMILIES Information from the Children of Alcoholics Foundation

12. Children of Meth Using Parents • Are Often in the Caretaker Role • Learn Not to Trust • Have Issues with Attachment • Are Often Exposed to Violence, Drug Sales, Sexual Issues, and Drugs Themselves

13. Methamphetamine Exposed InfantsDr. Rizwan Shah, MD, FAAPBlank Children’s Hospital-Des Moines, Iowa • Symptoms May Vary and Can Be Difficult to Diagnose • Treatment Should be Based on Symptoms and Not Merely the Fact that Infant Was Drug Affected • May be at Risk for Problems Later in Life • Not All Infants/Children Exposed Will Have Problems

14. Dr. Shah’s Study Included 368 Infants and Children with Methamphetamine Accounting for 76% of the Cases

15. Symptoms of Meth Exposed Infants and Children I • NB to 4 Weeks (Dopamine Depletion Syndrome) • Lethargic-Excessive Sleep • Poor Suck and Swallow Coordination • Sleep Apnea

16. Symptoms of Meth Exposed Infants and Children II • Four Weeks to Four Months Age • CNS Immaturity (effects on motor development) • Sensory Integration Problems-Tactile, Defensive, Texture Issues • Neurobehavioral Symptoms-Interaction-Social Development

17. Symptoms of Meth Exposed Infants and Children III • Six Months to Eighteen Months • The “Honeymoon Phase” • Symptom Free Period

18. Symptoms of Meth Exposed Infants and Children III • Eighteen Months to Five Years • Sensory Integration Deficit (same as II) • Less Focused Attention • Easily Distracted • Poor Anger Management • Aggressive Outbursts • Speech Language and developmental Problems can occur

19. Despite The Challenges These Kids Face: • We Must Guard Against Labeling!

20. Methamphetamine and Parenting • Understanding the Use of Methamphetamine and Its Various Effects is Helpful in Understanding its Impact on Parenting

21. METHAMPHETAMINE Psychological Effects • Irritability • Anxiety • Hallucinations • Paranoia • Cognitive impairment • Aggressiveness

22. METHAMPHETAMINE Behavioral Signs • Insomnia • Extreme hyperactivity, excessive talkativeness • Change in attitude or personality • Changes in friends or hiding of associates • Change in activities • Drop in performance • Loss of interest in family

23. Physical Signs of Use • Weight Loss • Darkness Under the Eyes-”Sunken In” • Oily hair/Skin • Odor • Teeth Problems • Skin Sores (“Crystal Mites”) • Dilated Pupils • Can’t Sit Still

26. The Hierarchy of Use • Users Will Frequently Escalate in: • How They Use • How Much They Use • How Frequently They Use

27. How Used: • Drink It • Snort It • Smoke It • Shoot It

29. Not All Meth is Created Equally • Can be significant differences in Purity • Powdered Meth vs. Ice or Glass • Cutting or “Stepping On It” Changes Purity

31. Issues In Foster Care And Adoption • Safety Issues • Foster/Adoptive Parents Need Information • Training Issues • Working With Birth Families • Support For Families • Relative Caregiver Issues

32. Safety Issues • Starts with Making Sure That DEC (Drug Endangered Children) Protocols are Followed • National DEC Protocol Offers Guidelines for Decontamination, Evaluation, Treatment, and Placement for Children Found in Drug Labs.

33. Providing Information To Foster/Adoptive Parents • Foster/Adoptive Parents Want and Need to Know as Much Case History as Possible. • This Should Include Information About the Family Background, Degree and Type of Drug Exposure • Also, Informing Families as Soon as Possible What is Expected of Them is Vital

34. Families Need Training • Training Should be Practical, Realistic, and Offer Strategies that Help Families Deal with Drug Affected Kids and Parents • Information on Drug Awareness Gives Families a Working Knowledge • Training Should Also Address the Effects of Actual, Environmental, and Social Exposure to Drugs.

35. Working With Birth Families • Once Kept Apart in Many States, Foster and Adoptive Parents Are being Asked to do More with Birth Families • Working Together Helps to Increase Positive Outcomes for Children and Families • Foster/Adoptive Parents Should Receive Specific Training on This Topic. • Safety for Families Working with Meth Affected Families Must be a Top Priority!

36. Support For Families • Many States Have Statewide Foster/Adoptive Parent Support Associations • NFPA and NACAC Provide Resources on a National Level • Many Local Groups Exist for Families as Well • Specialized Support Groups can be Helpful • All of These Types of Groups Provide Support, Training, Resources for Families

37. Relative Caregiver Issues • Presents many of the Same Issues that Foster/Adoptive Parents Face-However, Additional Dynamics are Present!

38. Other “System” Issues • Child Welfare Systems Often Too Overloaded to Provide Support to Families • Issues with “Concurrent Planning” Can be Difficult For Families • Lack of Training for System Professionals About Drugs • Addicted Parents Trying to “Beat The System” and Kids Being Returned to Unsafe Situations

39. The “Time Paradox” • Clock Starts Ticking When Child Removed • Effective Meth Recovery Needs to Be Long term • Parents Dealing With Loss, Grief, Recovery Issues, etc. • Time Can “Run Out” Before Issues Are Appropriately Dealt With

40. Strategies That Can Help • Coordinated Efforts That Include Prevention, Treatment, and Enforcement Working Closely With Child Welfare Agencies • Utilizing Treatment Approaches that Offer Long Term Support and Monitoring (i.e. Drug Court) • Promoting an Atmosphere of Teamwork Between Foster/Adoptive Families, Birth Families, and Child Welfare Agencies is Best Practice • Licensing Practices that Promote Smoother Transitions to Permanency (Dual Licensing)

41. The Iowa Foster and Adoptive Parent Association • Offers Support and Training to Families. • Liaison program • Adoption Information Specialist • FAIR Line • Special Activities Throughout the Year

42. Training • 6 Hour Comprehensive Drug Awareness • 6 Hour “Working with Birth Families” • DEC Training • Numerous Other 2-6 Hour Classes for families