The Cycle of Child Protection Services Involvement: A Cohort Study of Adolescent Mothers

Prevalence of Adverse Childhood Experiences of Parenting Women in Drug Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder

Descriptive adverse childhood experience (ACE) prevalence data on parenting women seeking treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) is limited, despite this group being one of the fastest growing sub-populations of the opioid epidemic. The aim of this study was to: (1) determine prevalence of ACEs) in a population of parenting women in treatment for OUD, (2) characterize ACEs, and (3) compare study ACE data to Pennsylvania Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (PA BRFSS) to normalize study results. Between 2014 and 2018, ACEs were collected from parenting women (N = 152) enrolled in treatment for OUDs. Results showed on average women were 30.3 years of age (SD 4.6, range 22-41 years) non-Hispanic (87.0%), white (74.0%), and held a high school education or less (76.0%). The mean total ACE score was 4.3 (SD 2.3; range 0-8). Most women reported 4 ≥ ACEs (65.0%), while only 5.0% reported 0 ACEs. The current sample had higher mean ACE score (4.3 PSMDT vs. 1.4 PA BRFSS Data) than PA BRFSS Data. The burden of ACEs in parenting women in treatment for OUD is significant. Understanding the trauma parenting women in drug treatment have experienced, may support efforts to reduce stigma of this population. Public health intervention and policy work that is trauma proactive is needed to address this growing epidemic.

An examination of child protective service involvement among children born to mothers in foster care

OBJECTIVE

This study identified children born to mothers in foster care and documented Child Protective Service (CPS) involvement among children.

METHODS

Probabilistically linked birth and CPS records from California (2009-2012) were used to identify all mothers in foster care on or after conception. Children were followed prospectively using linked records to identify CPS involvement occurring during the first three years of life. Differences between reported and unreported children were examined using χ2 tests. The Latent Class Analysis (LCA) identified classes of children born to mothers in care who were at increased risk of CPS involvement. Model fit was assessed using the Bayesian Information Criterion, entropy, and likelihood ratio tests. For each of the classes, the relationship to the distal outcome (i.e., a maltreatment report by age three), was examined.

RESULTS

Findings indicate that 53% of children born to mothers in care were reported. The proportion of children reported to CPS for maltreatment declined over time, from 63% of children born to mothers in foster care in 2009, to 46% in 2012. The LCA documented three distinct classes of mother-child dyads with varying risk of report. More than one third of children in Class 1 and nearly 70% of children in Class 3 were reported.

CONCLUSIONS

This study was the first to develop multi-dimensional class profiles of two-generation CPS involvement among mother-child dyads. This study documents that mothers' experiences in care and mental health conditions vary widely, underscoring the importance of providing services that fit the needs of dyads.