The Opioid Epidemic's Toll On The Foster Care System

Every day in North Carolina. The gas from hand to letter vehicle accident. Thanks for joining us for same policy matters interesting to that Greeks communications director Nancy family sitting in this week for John Weston depopulate epidemic sadly continues to be front page news. The CDC recently reported that more people are now dying from opioid overdose. Then from car accidents.

The drug crisis is taking its toll and individuals, families and entire communities. But there is a segment of our population being hit especially hard, and you may not have even heard about it.

Children of parents battling drug addiction are flooding into foster care system at such a high rate that the system is literally bursting and it seems our guest today is Joe Teague, a substance abuse counselor for wake County human services child protective services and founder of alcohol and drug assessment services in Raleigh, North Carolina Joe, we are pleased to have you with us today to discuss both the effect this crisis is having on families and children as well as what on earth we can do to help family policy Council, vulnerable population, but just children in foster care who been affected by their parent, which start by giving us a little bit of perspective on the size and scope of North Carolina's foster care system.

How many children are in it for what are the primary reasons and usually for how long, and is a true that these numbers are increasing. I'm going to give you an example and Emerick 2015 there are 11,000 children in foster care from April 2016 to March 2017 there were 16,545 and the year prior to that was 16,002 66 that haven't done 2018 yet, but that the considerable job, and children are in foster care due to abuse, neglect or dependency abandonment which affect their safety permanence and well-being.

More so the 80% of all child offered cases involve substance abuse, mental health issues as well as the mastic about the myth of violence are also huge percentages and a lot of our clients have all three lot in recent years about the opioid crisis. What does this specifically having on families here in North Carolina that on the family included the death of a family member and a lot of them do not get great counseling.

The family members are separated from each other and that's very traumatic for children in the latest research says that that, trauma can change their brain chemistry.

The family members themselves suffer secondary trauma.

An increase in the dropout rates from school. An increase in involvement in the legal system certainly an increase in healthcare costs.

Physical, mental, emotional, behavioral, and societal issues, and those are just to name a few. So you think the opioid crisis is so much more pervasive in all parts of our society really than previous drug problems that we seen in the past increase in the epidemic implant is come to the forefront.

I believe that one of the main reasons is the demographics have changed the highest demographic is white males from age 25 to 34. There is not access to a not healthcare in North Carolina as well as the United States. The federal government and state government put money into the treatment part recovery part that is falling short, but just can't do that in times but at least we got $10 million additional to work with 4 to 5 people are done every day in North Carolina.

From your perspective as a substance abuse counselor what unique risks does drug abuse posed to the children of users and are we going to continue to see some societal effects from having so many children who are in foster care at some point in their lives.

Some of the unique risk due to drug. The parents or caretakers wanted the acronym that is used is ACE which stands for adverse childhood experiences. They can be at increased risk of physical or sexual abuse or neglect, such as I don't have enough food there at risk of being homeless is getting or not getting medical attention. They have poor social relationships and their other issues such as improper supervision. There left the lime light latchkey kids in proper discipline and exposure to domestic violence they are more likely to experience poor physical and mental health and negative social consequences later in life. There is a greater risk of those children using drugs or alcohol dropping out of school or joining gangs. If the child is called I love you but at the same time told Domani as an adult he or she may be attracted to relationships where they are rejected. Because that's all they know. If a child is told. I'll be there for you and not show up.

The child learns to not to want or expect things they did neither needs because I don't want to be disappointed and say don't depend on others is told to tell the truth as long as it doesn't something of the parent mostly here Craig becomes an ideal online becomes reality in adult life. The child lives automatically without guilt, even when the truth would be easier if the child is toll everything is fine and will be all right. The family atmosphere is one of hopelessness, depression, anxiety. They see everything in life as an adult. They can suffer from distortions in their perceptions of reality. They feel powerless over their life there often depressed and they distrust their own judgment. If the pair behaves in a negative or irresponsible way like embarrassment child from their friends by drunken or erratic behavior.

The child is told don't get mad. It wasn't their fault. They were drunk so the child learns what if I'm drunk I'm doing wrong is a great book that I recommend to all of my parents called it will never happen to me by Claudia Black and it discusses the roles that different family members play cheaply.

The children they are told. Don't talk to anybody don't trust anyone in your feelings don't count they take on roles just to survive and they did not answer these roles a child can play the role of the hero child and try to do things perfectly, they're more likely to marry an abuser.

The scapegoat child is blamed for everything they're more likely to join gangs drop out of school.

The lost child who asked the lights from their family and others. In other words, I don't play video games in their rent because they do not want to be around drama and as an adult the lost child at times has a very high risk of these student suicidal or homicidal decline, child trust, make everybody laugh that everything is not funny. As an adult. They to be irresponsible or dependent on others. In other words, they didn't grow up or the child might play the parent's role that the term that we use is called. They been parental thought. They don't know what being a child of flight and forest plot effect as being in foster care have on the children, both good and bad is traumatic for children to be removed from their time. They often experience a myriad of challenges, emotions and behaviors such as depression, anxiety, they feel guilty. I have a lot of fear that can be bedwetting confusion I might run away. They have nightmares feeling of hopelessness. Some become very aggressive in the new home. They have attachment issues on the good side when the child is in the foster care is encouraging to hear from the social workers that the child is beginning to thrive in their new environment.

The child and you shall not be love to be taking care not walk on egg cereals. Their grades come up significantly. Their health gets better behavior problems really didn't himself so they fed their clothes they feel loved and safe. They have a permanent living environment. Foster peers can help build a child's resistance by setting realistic and fair rules having routines and experience celebrations and participate in traditions and all these things build resilience, and many children do not suffer. Some of the things that I've talked about somehow older, they develop some resilience, but most of them have to be taught and encouraged to have resilience you're listening to this matter as a resource to listen to our radio show online resources that will be a voice of persuasion in your community. Go to our website and see family.org. What about public policy recommendations. What do you think we could be doing on that level that would give some relief to the growing number of North Carolina families being torn apart by drug abuse where there are policies and programs and community support for you and I think that I feel that North Carolina is becoming very progressive on. We have a great Atty. Gen. Jost, who has really been on board as far as enforcing one of the new acts on called the dog back which stands for strengthening opiate abuse prevention is getting from that end, as well as Mindy Cohen is the director of Department of Health and reach human resources for the state. Both of them had been to several workshops that I've been to on the AP crisis as far as other things that can be done. A person asked himself where there is in politics. They federal lay man cannot do what can I give or receive. Can I work with others.

How can I transfer on the community.

If we want something we have to go get it and some of the workshops they had testimonies from parents or loved ones who have lost a child. Whether it be a child of the night table, whether it be an adult child, and it has devastated them and they become very strong advocate for helping other family members. I is important for the community coalitions. There isn't a specific AP award coalition in Raleigh itself and all of these things are developing 3 to 5 year plans. The 10 year's plans based on reality is important to get people around you that have similar views and one of the main things that has been mentioned by Josh Stein and others is this is a public health issues.

This is a brain disorder.

This is a chemical imbalance in the brain is not a character issue. It is a brain disease on. We believe that all of the people involved in these programs and policies in communities support they need to get educated about the devastation of this disease, but I also need to learn the necessary skills in order to help their community and their loved ones what you discussed so far has to do with the with the foster care system. It ends and how overburdened it is. So I give you a chance to sorta give us give us some advice for people who might hear this and be just brokenhearted by what they've heard and they want to get into the foster care system. What would you recommend to them well I would tell my family members only adult to get you to Al-Anon and Arnon. Those are support groups for them that help them with their emotional health, physical health, mental health, they were their program and we let the person with the drug use problem were there program that allocates programs for kids today, age 8 to 12. The Alateen program is for kids that are 13 to 17 years old so there given their support to on.

There's other community supports on any of the recovery meetings. There's also a Bible-based recovery meetings called celebrate recovery reform was unanimous. There are cognitive behavior to support groups that are very helpful. In North Carolina we have something called recovering communities in North Carolina Darrell capital Boulevard. They also have meetings for family members and all the things that I had mentioned our freight and all of them or about an hour and foster care people so they can be couples, but individuals can be foster parents as well.

There's a phone number that they can call wake County human services 919-212-7474 or their website for this for many of the via events that help people become foster parents. The website is foster the number four wake@wakeup.com I hope some new people come there.

Thank you Joe Teague for your work to help North Carolina families affected by this horrible opioid crisis in thank you for joining us on family policy matters family policy matter of reduction of NZ family to listen to our radio show online, and for more valuable resources and information about issues important to families in North Carolina website and see family.org and follow us on Twitter and Facebook