בלוג

Regardless of whether you use illegal drugs or abuse prescription drugs, CPS can determine that you are unfit to care for your children. Each case is different, but if there are concerns of drug abuse, a court may order that one or both parents complete a drug test, especially if a custody dispute has arisen out of child support negotiations. When a subpoena is received, the counselor should call the client about whom he is asked to testify or whose records are sought and ask what the subpoena is about. It may be that the subpoena has been issued by or on behalf of the client's lawyer, with her consent.

But even when laws on child custody don't specifically mention substance abuse, states typically authorize judges to consider any circumstances that are relevant to the child's best interests. Most judges would probably conclude that it's not good for a child's physical safety and emotional well-being to be in the care of a parent whose behavior and decision-making are affected by a substance abuse disorder. It’s first important to note that many laws regarding drugs, alcohol, and even Child Protective Services policies vary by state. Let us keep in mind that some states, like Washington, Oregon, and Colorado, have made marijuana recreationally legal.

What Should I Bring With Me to Rehab?

If you are in a custody battle and are concerned that your former spouse or partner may be abusing drugs or alcohol, the court may order them to complete drug screenings or a drug and alcohol assessment. The court may also look at a parent’s criminal records to determine if there is a history of offenses related to drugs or alcohol. This information can be used by the judge to make a decision regarding whether or not substance abuse places the children at risk of harm.

If custody of the minor was awarded to a non-parent through the juvenile dependency court, this section does NOT apply. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of Sober Recovery's"Terms of Use","Privacy Policy","Cookie Policy", and"Health Disclaimer". The material on this site is for informational purposes only, and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment provided by a qualified health care provider. If CPS has already taken your children, refusing a CPS drug test can make it difficult to return your kids.

It’s time to make yourself strong and healthy enough to take care of your family once again. Do not hesitate to contact a lawyer as soon as you learn about a Child Protective Services investigation. Regardless of what the accusations are, you need a skilled lawyer on your side to protect your rights. The parent who tested positive for drugs is not capable of managing and controlling their behavior, making themself a threat to the child.

However, it is equally possible that the subpoena has been issued by or on behalf of the CPS agency's lawyer . An objection can be based on a number of grounds and can be raised by any party, as well as by the person whose treatment information is sought. If the lawyer represents the client and the client asks the counselor to share all information, the counselor can speak freely with the lawyer once the client signs a proper consent form. If the lawyer asking for information represents the prosecuting attorney, the counselor should consult both the client and his lawyer, as well as the program's legal counsel before responding to any questions. The counselor should then speak with the client to ask whether the client knows what information the caller is seeking and whether the client wants her to disclose that or any other information. She should leave the conversation with a clear understanding of the client's instructions–whether she should disclose the information and, if so, how much and what kind.

Sober Recovery Expert Author

Today's blog post from the attorneys with the Law Office of Bryan Fagan, PLLC, will introduce the topic of CPS and their role in protecting the safety and well-being of Texas children. As someone who has probably had little to no interaction in your lifetime with CPS, it's understandable to have many questions about what CPS can and cannot do regarding the makeup of your family. We will discuss the organization's motivations and how they can impact you, your spouse, and your children. If parents often use substances to cope with stress or uncomfortable feelings, their children learn this. Not all children of addicted parents will come to abuse substances, but it is a common narrative. Post Traumatic Stress from living in an environment influenced by substance abuse increases the likelihood that of the child will abuse alcohol and drugs when older.

That’s why, in our opinion, it is important for parents to know their rights when CPS knocks. Meaning CPS should not be charging you with a crime, but rather, if your children are ultimately removed, CPS should be working with you to return your children. Unfortunately, once the parent submits to drug testing, if there is something, usually anything, in the drug test that is positive, CPS generally will find a way to determine that positive drug test makes the parent unfit.

This article will focus on the role of substance abuse in custody disputes between parents in family courts, rather than dependency cases in juvenile court . Essentials mission is to renew lives impacted by addiction through personalized and complete behavioral healthcare. Our main purpose is to provide services and education to the client and family that will alcohol consumption and blood pressure support long lasting recovery of mind, body, and spirit. When you are trapped in the cycle of substance abuse, it can be hard to see a way out. The source of your addiction controls you to the point that you cannot focus on anything else. Holding down a job, taking care of your obligations, and meeting the needs of your children may all be pushed aside.

Addiction Info

If that evidence convinces the judge that a modification is warranted, the judge could change where the child lives, limit the substance-abusing parent's time with the children, or place restrictions on visitation. A parent might also lose sole or shared legal custody, if the substance abuse is serious enough to impair that parent's decision-making abilities. Traditionally, one parent would have sole physical of the children after divorce, while the other parent would have visitation with the kids. These days, it's more common for judges to award joint legal custody and at least some form of joint physical custody . Contribute to child abuse and neglect and is common among families involved with the child welfare system.

Team members review available documentation in addition to contributing their own knowledge of the family in question, providing a wide range of additional support on an as-needed basis. Pediatricians assess the medical needs and perform comprehensive abuse, neglect, and sexual most common house rules in sober livings abuse exams. Consultants also provide expert witness testimony for the family court. In Connecticut, the Alcohol and Drug Policy Council created a Women and Children's Client-Based Model. The various State agencies have been meeting to discuss implementing the model.

Recovery from Addiction Takes a Team Effort

While the names of these organizations may vary depending on your state, their mission is the same. Addiction can cause a tremendous amount of dysfunction, which, more often than not, places children directly in harm’s way. Proving your willingness to do the right thing for your children is very important. The highest rate of abuse in children under age one (25.7 per 1,000). Some inpatient or outpatient programs can get you on the road to recovery.

Please note that these guidelines are an explanation of current Federal and State laws regarding client confidentiality for substance abuse treatment programs. They are meant to help reduce legal complications that could interfere with a client's treatment–or a program's operation. They are not meant to imply or encourage an adversarial relationship with CPS agencies. Ongoing collaboration is important and allowed when appropriate consent forms are signed. With more than 50 percent of child protective cases involving substance abuse, CPS agencies are dependent on the expertise of the treatment agencies. This chapter explains the legal requirements treatment providers must follow, discusses the difficulties and potential conflicts that may arise, and offers some guidelines to help minimize legal difficulties and clinical dilemmas.

• Because more than half of reported child abuse and neglect cases involve substance abuse, a substance abuse treatment professional has recently been added to the team.
• It may also help the client if the counselor participates in developing a service plan for the family.
• Many children are left alone, unsupervised, while their parents are intoxicated or out obtaining more drugs or alcohol.
• A guardianship of the estate is set up to manage a child's income, money, or other property until the child turns 18.
• Read on to learn more about what to do in these situations and how to gain your parental rights back in full.
• Because of this, they are more likely to try drugs that other kids wouldn’t dream of, and at a younger age.

Child protective services or a similar agency files a petition with the juvenile court (in what's usually called a "dependency" case) based on allegations of child abuse or neglect. Authority of family court judges and court commissioners to order or recommend services—Report by court of child abuse or neglect.” 1994. Failure to comply with statutory reporting mandates or to limit the report as required by the Federal confidentiality regulations can place the individual counselor and the counseling agency at risk. Therefore, everyone in the agency who is required by law to report suspected abuse or neglect must clearly understand when and how a report must be made and what information must be reported. The possibility of losing custody of a child can be a distressing experience for individuals in need of addiction treatment program.

Will CPS Give My Children Back? What’s the Process Like?

Here’s how genetics play a key role in developing substance abuse issues. There are many reasons for this, though, beyond simply learning the behavior. As these children are more likely to experience trauma, neglect, and abuse, they have the utmost need for coping skills to process these challenging experiences. Unfortunately, if their parents are in active addiction, the effects of combining alcohol with other drugs it is unlikely that they develop healthy coping skills. Addiction is a physical and psychological disorder; the addicted brain is crippled by dependence so that healthy decisions and prioritization are virtually impossible. Sadly, parents are not immune to addiction, and the children of addicted parents are at high risk for neglect, abuse, and trauma.

Legal custody refers to being legally responsible for a child in the eyes of a court. In situations in which two parents are married and no other arrangements have been made, both parents are said to have legal custody. This means they are responsible for the child’s care and have the right to determine where that child goes to school, what religion they practice and the type of medical care they receive. Although some might think the last question strange, soliciting the client's view of the CPS agency will help to maintain the counselor-client relationship as the investigation unfolds. Clients have often had negative experiences with CPS agencies or other social service agencies that have intervened in their lives, especially if cross-cultural issues are involved.

Developing Reporting Policies and Procedures

If a counselor acts on the assumption that the client thinks a CPS agency is acting in her best interest, the counselor may well alienate the client and close the door on what could be an opportunity for developing a therapeutic alliance. Perhaps the safest approach is for the counselor to take the position that whether or not the CPS agency's intentions are benign or its intervention is welcome, it is a force with which the client must deal. What CPS caseworkers and investigators are keenly aware of is that your child's behaviors, while seemingly muted or minimal, all have meaning. Your substance abuse may have led to a certain level of trauma that CPS can identify. If your substance abuse has compromised your child's safety, then their relationship will be harmed.

There are various types of child custody, but if you have specific questions about custody, it is important to consult with an attorney, as state laws and individual situations will vary. The regulations view any response indicating that the person in question is the counselor's client as a disclosure that the person is in fact in substance abuse treatment. This applies even if the lawyer already knows that the client is in treatment. First, after getting the client's written consent to do so, the counselor should consult with the client's lawyer.