Parental Substance Misuse

This book provides expert knowledge about the effects of parental substance misuse, coupled with facts, figures and guidance presented in a straightforward and accessible style. Parenting a child affected by parental substance misuse explores general issues around substance misuse and children entering care as well as the impact on children of exposure to substances during pregnancy, including both specific effects (such as Foetal Alcohol Syndrome) and wider issues (such as genetic susceptibilities).

Parenting and Substance Abuse is the first book to report on pioneering efforts to move the treatment of substance-abusing parents forward by embracing their roles and experiences as mothers and fathers directly and continually across the course of treatment.

"Children of Substance-Abusing Parents: Dynamics and Treatment" is a necessary reference for all mental health professionals and students who need to understand and treat this population. It offers an invaluable look attreatment options and programmatic interventions across the life span and fills an important gap in the current literature. The contributors include a wide range of experts who provide up-to-date evidence-based clinical and programmatic strategies for working with children of alcohol and other substance-abusing parents of any age and in almost any practice setting. This highly recommended book is a valuable resource for all practitioners and students concerned about this very large, but often hidden group of individuals and families." From the Foreword by Sis Wenger President/CEO National Association for Children of Alcoholics Parental drug abuse and alcoholism have an enormously detrimental impact on children and adolescents. Children whose parents suffer from drug abuse or alcoholism often face multiple physical, mental, and behavioral issues. They are at a greater risk for depression, anxiety, low self esteem, and addiction, and also are known to have poor school attendance, difficulty concentrating, and lower IQ scores. This book offers health care practitioners proactive programs and innovative strategies to use with this vulnerable population. Taking a comprehensive, life course approach, the authors discuss the implications and interventions at the prenatal stage, through childhood, adolescence, young adulthood, and adulthood. With this book, social workers and health care practitioners can help assess and intervene with children of substance abusing parents. Key topics: Dynamics in families with substance abusing parents and treatment implications Issues across the life span of children of substance abusing parents Prevention and early intervention programs for pregnant women who abuse substances Programs for young children, adolescents, college students, and children with incarcerated parents

Focusing on the needs of children of substance misusing parents and the dilemmas faced by professionals working with them, this comprehensive book brings together for the first time theoretical and practice issues for all those involved with the crossover between responses to drug and alcohol problems and child welfare. Describing the effects of substance misuse on `good enough' parenting and attachment (and taking into account theories about substance use), the authors analyse the issues facing children, including the impact on psychological and emotional development. Emphasising the importance of developing holistic approaches, involving both child care and drug and alcohol agencies as well as families, this book presents a practical model for risk assessment and intervention that balances the 'competing' needs of parents and their children. It is an essential resource for all those working or training to work in the fields of child welfare, substance misuse, health, education and criminal justice.

Estimates indicate that as many as 1 in 4 Americans will experience a mental health problem or will misuse alcohol or drugs in their lifetimes. These disorders are among the most highly stigmatized health conditions in the United States, and they remain barriers to full participation in society in areas as basic as education, housing, and employment. Improving the lives of people with mental health and substance abuse disorders has been a priority in the United States for more than 50 years. The Community Mental Health Act of 1963 is considered a major turning point in America's efforts to improve behavioral healthcare. It ushered in an era of optimism and hope and laid the groundwork for the consumer movement and new models of recovery. The consumer movement gave voice to people with mental and substance use disorders and brought their perspectives and experience into national discussions about mental health. However over the same 50-year period, positive change in American public attitudes and beliefs about mental and substance use disorders has lagged behind these advances. Stigma is a complex social phenomenon based on a relationship between an attribute and a stereotype that assigns undesirable labels, qualities, and behaviors to a person with that attribute. Labeled individuals are then socially devalued, which leads to inequality and discrimination. This report contributes to national efforts to understand and change attitudes, beliefs and behaviors that can lead to stigma and discrimination. Changing stigma in a lasting way will require coordinated efforts, which are based on the best possible evidence, supported at the national level with multiyear funding, and planned and implemented by an effective coalition of representative stakeholders. Ending Discrimination Against People with Mental and Substance Use Disorders: The Evidence for Stigma Change explores stigma and discrimination faced by individuals with mental or substance use disorders and recommends effective strategies for reducing stigma and encouraging people to seek treatment and other supportive services. It offers a set of conclusions and recommendations about successful stigma change strategies and the research needed to inform and evaluate these efforts in the United States.

All across the United States, individuals, families, communities, and health care systems are struggling to cope with substance use, misuse, and substance use disorders. Substance misuse and substance use disorders have devastating effects, disrupt the future plans of too many young people, and all too often, end lives prematurely and tragically. Substance misuse is a major public health challenge and a priority for our nation to address. The effects of substance use are cumulative and costly for our society, placing burdens on workplaces, the health care system, families, states, and communities. The Report discusses opportunities to bring substance use disorder treatment and mainstream health care systems into alignment so that they can address a person's overall health, rather than a substance misuse or a physical health condition alone or in isolation. It also provides suggestions and recommendations for action that everyone-individuals, families, community leaders, law enforcement, health care professionals, policymakers, and researchers-can take to prevent substance misuse and reduce its consequences.

This practical resource provides a wealth of activities and photocopiable worksheets to use with children and young people affected by parental substance misuse. Children living in substance abusing homes are at risk of many different negative outcomes, such as behavioral problems, low academic achievement, depression and anxiety, low self-esteem, as well as self-blame for their parent's substance abuse. The activities and worksheets in this book have been designed to assist counselors, therapists and other professionals to facilitate group sessions for children of addicted parents. Each chapter reviews a different issue related to children living in substance abusing homes, and gives step-by-step instructions for leading a group session, accompanied by the latest research and suggestions for discussions based on best practices. Children will learn to reduce feelings of shame and isolation, better understand the nature of addiction, increase self-care and create healthy interactions. This is an essential resource for professionals working with children affected by parental substance misuse, including counselors, child psychologists, therapists, and youth workers.

Impact of Substance Abuse on Children and Families addresses the growing concern over children at risk of developing physical and mental health problems because of their parents' addictions to alcohol and other drugs (AOD), including a chapter on the troubling increase of methamphetamine abuse by parents. The book's contributors examine current research findings from the United States, Australia, Ireland, and Israel to provide much-needed insight into the effects of addiction on family dynamics, parental attachment styles, and family characteristics. The book also looks at the impact of addiction on school-aged children and on mothers in residential treatment with their children, survey assessment instruments and treatment outcomes, and the value of Student Assistance Services for older children.