Substance Abuse

Substance Abuse Education Project

In response to the overwhelming numbers of cases that involved drug use and abuse by family members, the management of area 8 DCFS requested that the ASU Title IV-E Child Welfare Staff members develop and provide a comprehensive education/field training approach to meet the training needs of county supervisors, family service workers, and social service aides on substance abuse issues.

The majority of children entering foster care in Arkansas are doing so for reasons either directly or indirectly related to substance use and abuse. The risks for children to be neglected, unsupervised, physically, emotionally and sexually maltreatment escalate dramatically when substance use or abuse occurs in the child’s home and especially when the child’s primary caretaker is the user.

The ASU Title IV-E Substance Abuse Education Program was implemented in the 2006-2007 contract year with 8 DCFS participants including the area manager, area staff, county supervisors, investigators and case workers. Currently, 11 DCFS staff members are participating in monthly education on substance abuse issues, attendance at the state substance abuse conference, and monthly case consultation from an ASU Field Trainer on cases in which substance abuse is a major issue for child safety, permanency, and well being.



Indicators of Substance Abuse
Environmental Indicators Behavioral Indicators Physical Indications of Parental Substance Abuse
Home infested with rodents and insects Irritability/aggression/paranoia Increased alertness/activity
Chaotic environment (dirty clothes, dirty dishes) Memory problems/not age related Increased/Decreased sleep or sleeplessness
Yard cluttered and littered Missed appointments Abnormal Sweating
Drug paraphernalia (razor blades, syringes, pipes) Depression/anxiety Skin lesions/open sore/"track marks"
Inoperable bathroom facilities Nasal problems (sniffing) Body odor (chemical smell)
Guns Twitching/shaking, or involuntary body movements Age inappropriate thinning hair/ brittle hair
Pornographic material Visual or auditory Eye Movements (Move rapidly/ enable to focus or glassy eyes)
Inappropriate play/sleep areas for children Hyperactivity Increased respiratory rate
Large or vicious dogs Lethargy (crashing) Poor dental hygiene. rotting teeth/ no teeth
Refrigerator (absence/presence of food, chemicals being stored) Frequent accidents (often unexplained) Nasal Problems
Presence of booby traps Personality changes/inconsistent behavior Nausea, Vomiting, diarrhea
Presence of large amounts of cold medicine Inconsistent attention to child's emotional and physical needs Unexplained weight loss
Excess matches, propane tanks, coffee filters, drain cleaner, lithium batteries, and hot plates Tweaking Itching/scratching of, "imaginary" bugs/insects on skin
Unidentified odors (ammonia smell) Lying Inappropriate clothing (wearing long sleeves in hot weather)
Windows covered with foil or black plastic Flat affect/ inappropriate affect Petechiae (minute red spots near the surface of the skin)
Police scanners Large bulbous nose (seen in males)
Sign posting/no trespassing
Excessive traffic
Unexplained poverty or wealth




Important Links on Substance Abuse:

Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration: http://www.samhsa.gov

Center on Substance Abuse Prevention:
http://www.prevention.samsha.gov

National Clearinghouse on Alcohol and Drug Information:
http://www.ncadi.samsha.gov

Substance Abuse Facility Locator
http://www.dasis3.samsha.gov

Arkansas MidSOUTH Addictions Training Network:
http://www.midsouth.ualr.edu/index_at.html

Arkansas MidSOUTH Addictions Training Network Training Catalog for 2008-2009
http://www.midsouth.ualr.edu//msatn/0809%20MSATN%20Catalog%20(printer%20
friendly%20for%20web).pdf

Arkansas MidSOUTH Addictions Training Scholarship Application
http://www.midsouth.ualr.edu/scholarship_application.pdf

Arkansas MidSOUTH Training Addictions Training Registration Form
http://www.midsouth.ualr.edu/msatn/Registration%20Form%200809%20MSATN%
20for%20duplication.pdf

Arkansas MidSOUTH Addictions Training Registration on line:
http://www.peopleware.net/index.cfm?siteCode=1915&&CFID=18529726&CFTOK
EN=5d7d1c0-9873d80b-d55e-4420-8e25-1d759ccd01d7