Tag Archives: parents

Supporting Children of Parents with Co-occurring Mental Illness and Substance Abuse

August 14, 2012CA&N Resourceschildren, co-occurring, family system, mental illness, parents, risks, Services, substance abuse, supportsMiPSAC

June 2012, Research To Practice Brief, National Abandoned Infants Assistance Resource Center:

It is well documented in the literature that children growing up in homes headed by a parent with co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders are at an increased risk for a multitude of psychosocial complications. These children are commonly exposed to ongoing stressors that can have a cumulative impact on their behavior and development. In a three-year longitudinal study, researchers found that the risk of child behavior problems increased with the number of areas in which the mother reported difficulties. Unfortunately, in families with parental co-occurring disorders, multiple difficulties are commonplace. This brief suggests a number of services and supports for such families. Link to pdf Practice Brief

What You Need to Know about Child Well-Being and Serving Children in Family Drug Courts

July 24, 2012CA&N Resourcesabuse, child maltreatment, child welfare, children, coordination, drug court, neglect, parents, substance abuseMiPSAC

July 11, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention: Parental substance use disorders are a factor in majority of CWS cases. Research linking the two issues is compelling. Substance use and child maltreatment are often multi-generational problems that can only be addressed through a coordinated approach across multiple systems working in conjunction to address the needs of both the parents and the children. Link to pdf Slides

Securing Legal Ties For Children Living In LGBT Families; A State Strategy and Policy Guide

July 24, 2012CA&N ResourcesArchaic Laws, children, families, family structure, framework, Gay, Lesbian, LGBT, parental recognition, parents, policymakersMiPSAC

July 2012, Movement Advancement Project, Family Equality Council, Center for American Progress: This report, “Securing Legal Ties for Children Living in LGBT Families,” is the third in a companion series to the “All Children Matter” report. Focusing specifically on the impact of state marriage and parenting laws on children living in LGBT families, this companion report provides a framework for state policymakers to draft, pass, and enact new laws that protect children living in contemporary family structures. It also includes recommendations for amending, repealing, or overturning archaic and discriminatory laws that leave children without the security of legal ties to their parents, or without the loving, “forever” homes that all children need and deserve. The report is divided into four key areas. In this introduction, we provide an overview of the diversity of LGBT families: who they are, where they live, and the economic realities they face. The next section highlights how the multiple paths to parenthood for LGBT parents intersect with archaic laws and practices that often leave children without legal ties to both parents. The third section focuses on how this lack of legal ties harms children being raised in LGBT families. The report concludes with a series of policy recommendations for designing comprehensive state-level parental recognition laws. Link to Policy Guide