The Governor's Council on Substance Abuse has produced a review of policies and procedures for drug-endangered children in Washington State. The report presents the results of a survey of local procedures for handling drug-endangered children -- especially children exposed to methamphetamine use. Child meth-related dangers come from both direct exposures to toxic chemicals present at meth manufacturing sites, as well as abuse and neglect issues arising from having parents on meth. Local procedures are compared to the steps recommended by the "We Care" matrix.*
Also studied was whether local procedures differ when a child is drug-endangered through parental abuse or neglect versus when a child is endangered through direct exposure to a drug or associated toxic chemicals. Additionally, the study explored whether counties have different procedures when a child is endangered by a drug other than meth, such as other illicit drugs, alcohol, or prescription drugs.
*Washington State Governor’s Meth Coordinating Council. We Care: Recommended Best Practices Addressing the Needs of Drug Endangered Children. August 2004.
