Improving Treatment for Drug-Exposed Infants
Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) Series 5

Chapter 4 - Psychosocial Services for Drug-Exposed Infants and Their Families

A broad range of psychosocial services is required for an extended period of time to address the needs of the infant for a nurturing and safe environment and the mother's multiple needs as a recovering addict, parent, and perhaps, head of household.

This chapter addresses key components of psychosocial services and the assistance needed to obtain them. Strategies for keeping families intact are explored and emphasized. Despite these strategies, drug-exposed infants often must be separated, even if temporarily, from their parents. Accordingly, the panel makes specific recommendations regarding referral to child protective services, followup for infants in child protective services and foster care, and assuring the quality of services provided to them.

Public child welfare agencies (in each State, county, or city) are mandated to perform a broad array of services for infants who have been abused, abandoned, or neglected, including foster care placement and managing family unification after separation. It is often the child welfare worker who coordinates this unification.