Support for families affected by substance use in the child welfare system
Improving outcomes for substance-affected families in the child welfare system
This project looks at how state policies and local services can better support pregnant people with substance use and their infants to reduce unnecessary foster placements.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Emory University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11162501 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you are a pregnant person or caregiver affected by substance use, the team will review and categorize state laws, regulations, and guidance about Plans of Safe Care to identify which policy features influence services like treatment referrals and postnatal supports. They will link those policy elements to child welfare and health data to see whether policy changes relate to foster placement rates, treatment uptake, and infant outcomes. The study will also examine local program and community factors that affect how policies are put into practice and may involve interviews or case reviews with affected caregivers and providers. Results will be used to recommend policy and service changes aimed at improving supports for families and infants.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Pregnant people with substance use disorder, caregivers of newborns exposed prenatally to substances, and families involved with child welfare services are the primary candidates who could be affected by the findings.
Not a fit: People without substance use during pregnancy, older children beyond infancy, or families not involved with the child welfare system are unlikely to directly benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to clearer policies and better services that help caregivers get treatment, keep more infants safely at home when appropriate, and improve early child outcomes.
How similar studies have performed: Previous policy changes and smaller studies have produced mixed or unclear results, so this work builds on limited existing evidence.
Where this research is happening
Atlanta, United States
- Emory University — Atlanta, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Patrick, Stephen W — Emory University
- Study coordinator: Patrick, Stephen W
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.