Over 600,000 children are estimated to live with a parent with an opioid use disorder (OUD) in the United States¹,² who are at risk to experience adverse consequences. These include risks of withdrawal symptoms if exposed during the prenatal period, out of home placement if there are child safety concerns, trauma experiences if parents experience an overdose, and a higher risk of developing their own substance use disorder in adolescence.³ Responding to the opioid epidemic presents numerous challenges for the various systems that serve children, parents and their families.

Children and Family Futures (CFF) is at the forefront of supporting tribes, states, counties, courts, and community-based agencies to implement evidence-based practices to improve outcomes for children, parents and their families who are affected by the opioid epidemic. CFF, through the National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare contract, provides in-depth technical assistance (IDTA) to tribes, states, and local jurisdictions. IDTA programs strengthen capacity to improve the safety, health, and well-being of pregnant and postpartum women with opioid use disorders and their infants with prenatal substance exposure, their extended family, and other caregivers by implementing Plans of Safe Care.

Effectively addressing the opioid epidemic requires a multi-systems collaborative approach by child welfare, law enforcement, court systems, substance use disorder treatment and mental health treatment, and healthcare providers. It is essential for these professionals have an understanding of medication-assisted treatment (MAT) as a viable option for parents/caregivers that have substance use disorders, especially opioid use disorders.

CFF facilitates the implementation of multi-system collaborative approaches to improve early identification of opioid use disorders, engagement into substance use disorder treatment, and training on the use of medication-assisted treatment. CFF has developed resources to assist communities, organizations, and agencies to better understand and implement evidence-based approaches to support safety, well-being, and recovery of children and families.