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Opiate addiction is a major problem in our society in terms of its impact on children and families. Families affected by opiate addiction are often among the most vulnerable and exhibit many of the most challenging problems faced by child welfare workers. However, there are medications, such as Methadone and Buprenorphine shown to be effective in reducing opiate dependency. This manuscript is a comprehensive review of the evidence base on the consequences of maternal use of medication assisted drug treatment (MADT) on child well-being. An extensive literature search was conducted via Medline (Pub Med), Sociological Abstracts, Social Services Abstracts, and PsycINFO for the years 1980–2005. Over 200 studies were reviewed. Of these, findings from more than 100 studies are summarized in this review, leading to key recommendations for child welfare practitioners, policy makers and researchers concerned with protecting the safety and well-being of children of opiate-dependent parents.

Conducted in hospital-based clinics in New York City, this study is the first to depict the living circumstances of children of women in detoxification. Structured interviews were conducted with 160 African American and 96 Latina female patients who had at least one child under age 18. Virtually, all participants had used heroin or crack cocaine in the 30 days prior to entry into detox. High-risk drug use was common, including injection, frequenting crack houses, overdosing and trading sex for drugs. Fewer than half of the mothers had a high school education, and few received income from wages or child support. Mothers, with a mean age of 36, reported an average of 2.84 minor children. Only 34% of children were in the guardianship care of their mothers alone or mothers and their partners. Only 21% of mothers indicated that they were the guardians of all of their minor children. Rates of guardianship and custody were somewhat higher for Latina mothers compared to African American mothers. The most important sources of care for the children were grandparents, other relatives and foster parents. Of the children of detoxifying mothers, 21% were living with a non-relative, whereas in a national comparison sample of African American and Latino households, only 2% of children were living with non-relatives. A logistic equation determined that women who did not live in their own home, had less education and used multiple drugs were more likely to have lost guardianship of one or more children. Study findings expand understanding of the detrimental effects of parental drug abuse on children's life opportunities.

This paper proposes a new definitional model and improved methods for human services prevention research with youth and families. The proposed model defines prevention as knowledge-based, group intervention aimed at helping at-risk youth and families build skills and social supports to enhance interpersonal and environmental competence and to manage stress. Based on this definition, the authors suggest methods for improving prevention research. Those methods begin with risk assessment. Risk assessment, in turn, provides a basis for three levels of preventive intervention: universal, selective, and indicated. Each intervention level is discussed, with particular attention given to selective and indicated interventions because of their relevance for human services with youth and families. Finally, the paper notes the implications and future research directions for new models and levels of human services prevention with youth and families.

Human services workers have long recognized that parents of handicapped children experience inordinate stresses. In recent years investigators have examined how such families deal with stress. This paper discusses stress in families of developmentally disabled children and how parents of special needs children draw on personal and social coping strategies to manage daily challenges. An overview of existing research is followed by a prescription for research on stress, personal coping, and social support. The authors call for prevention strategies to prevent stress-related maltreatment of special needs children.