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

Followup of Infants In CPS or Foster Care

The recommendations in this section are built upon those found in Chapter 2 on followup and aftercare services for infants, and are focused on the psychosocial needs of the infant.

1. Case management - Followup services for drug-exposed infants and children in foster care should be provided using a case management model. The advocate for the infant could be a public or private case manager, a community caseworker, an outreach worker, or a recovering woman working under direction of a designated case manager. The continuing assessment and treatment needs of infants placed in foster care can be met best through case conferences, where all allied professionals provide input into the service needs of the infant and family. Telephone case conferences may be an expedient method for achieving this goal.
2. Training - Ongoing training should be provided to all service providers working with drug-exposed infants and their foster families. Such training should include information about the effects of drug and alcohol use in general, information concerning the child protective services system, and information concerning the unique service needs of the drug-exposed infant. Initial and ongoing training should also be conducted on HIV-related issues. Foster parents themselves and other caregivers need to receive special training regarding the unique needs of drug-exposed infants and mothers. In particular, they should be trained to provide stimulation to the infant at a level appropriate for that particular infant.
3. Reunification - Foster parents should be made aware that the ultimate goal of child protective services is to reunite the infant or child with the biological family, whenever possible.
4. Attitudes toward substance use - Child protective service caseworkers and foster parents should evaluate their attitudes about substance-abusing women as well as their own use of substances, including alcohol and tobacco, and the example it provides to children placed in their care. Ongoing training and values orientation should be provided to caseworkers and foster parents as much as possible.