HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 06071988 - 2.2 THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA
Adopted this Order on June 7, 1988 , by the following vote:
AYES: Supervisors Powers, Fanden, McPeak, Torlakson, Schroder
NOES: None
ABSENT: None
ABSTAIN: None
------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------
SUBJECT: Drug/Alcohol Abuse Relationship
to Social Services Programs
The Board received the attached report dated May 24,
1988 from James A. Rydingsword, Director, Social Service
Department, relative to the relationship of drug and alcohol abuse
on certain Social Services programs.
Supervisor Tom Powers commented on the severity of the
problem and the need to implement productive prevention programs.
He noted that the school districts and cities currently have a
number of programs to address the problem of drug and alcohol
abuse, and recommended that the County work with those agencies in
an effort to strengthen prevention programs.
Supervisor Tom Torlakson noted that during meetings he
has held with high school and college age youth, interest has been
expressed in the feasibility of using revenues from the current
"sin tax" proposal to implement drug and alcohol prevention
programs.
Jim Hicks, Business Agent, AFSCME Local 2700,
recommended that revenues from drug raids and confiscated property
be used in alcohol and drug abuse programs.
After further discussion by Board members, IT IS ORDERED
that the following actions are APPROVED:
1. ACCEPTED report from the Social Services Director on the
relationship of drug and alcohol abuse on certain Social
Services programs;
2. REFERRED the report to the Internal Operations Committee
for review;
3 . REQUESTED County Administrator, Social Services Director
and Health Services Director to review "sin tax"
proposal to determine how funds generated by such
legislation could be distributed to Social Services,
Health Services and Criminal Justice System needs
related to drug and alcohol abuse;
4. REQUESTED County Administrator to determine how the
County might obtain an additional share of the money
from drug raids and confiscated property for use in
alcohol and drug abuse programs; and
5. REQUESTED County Administrator to report in 30 days on
format for a multi-agency approach to address drug abuse
problems.
I hereby certify that this Is a true and correct copy of
an action taken and entered on the minuses of the
cc: Social Services Director Board of Supery rs on the date shown.
County Administrator 7 9P�
Internal Operations Committee ATTESTED:
Health Services Director
PH!L BACHELOR,LOR, Oieri:of t" Board
of Supervisors and County Administrator
By ez , Deputy
SOCIAL SERVICE DEPARTMENT CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
TO: Board of Supervisors DATE: May 24, 1988
FROM: James A. Rydingsword, Director CC: Phil Batchelor
Executive Team
Mark Finucane
Gerald Buck
Stuart McCullough
Ron Stewart
SUBJ: REVIEW OF DRUG ABUSE IN CHILD WELFARE CASES
-----------------------------------------------------------------
I am responding to your request for information regarding the
impact on Child Welfare Services of cases involving drug abuse.
I have delayed this report from May in order to include
information about our efforts both on State legislation and with
Health Services staff regarding program and funding development
for infant/family drug abuse prevention.
Drug Abuse Cases in CPS
State law does not require, nor address, collecting data on drug
abuse in Children's Protective Services. Therefore, we do not
maintain such statistics. To obtain the information requested,
we asked our district staff to review their cases.
Muir Road and Weber (West County) used all active cases on April
15, 1988 and asked their staff to identify both cases in which
the parent/guardian used drugs and cases in which the child was
using drugs or had a positive toxicity test result. Our Antioch
Office reviewed active cases in the month of March, 1988 for
these same factors. The result of these surveys is outlined in
the chart below.
meroenc Response/ ami tc. am euni em. acement
0 o a
0 o
hmoo. o, ay wr �c oy /�'Iz Jy.0R& C Qy O �e 'C^O /��� Q� V � �� O4 V 4 c., Q 4
Antioch 132 40 2 16 4 3 1335 172 1 231 60 0
$Drug Reiated 30$ 1.5% 25% 18..8% 51.3% .2% 25.9$
Muir Rd. 151 44 4 115 85 8 1180 101 10 444 202 40
%Drug Related 29$ 2.6% 74% 6.9% 56% 5.6% 45.5% 9%
West County 179 164 37 97 54 12 341 269 17 227 178 10
%Drug Related 91$ 20% 55% 12% 78% 4% 78% 4%
Totals 462 248 43 228 143 23 856 542 28 902 440 50
%Drug Related 1 53% 9% 62% 10% 63% 3% 48% 5%
Gen 9c (New 3/86)
2
Additionally, staff in our West County Office, reviewed
Juvenile Court Petitions filed each month from July 1987
through January 31, 1988. This data is outlined in the
following chart.
West County July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan.
#Petitions Filed 33 29 41 40 36 42 25
#Petitions with
Drug Usage 24 20 31 24 23 34 21
%Petitions with
Drug Usage 72% 69% 76% 60% 64% 81% 84%
Increases in drug abuse in our caseloads is reflective of both
the increasing problem of drug abuse in the general population
and of the growing awareness that drug abuse can be a part of
child abuse and is to be reported.
Because we have not kept statistical reports on drug abuse, we do
not have information regarding the impact on our staff's work
loads. Generally, problems of drug abuse reduce our ability to
maintain children in their own homes and complicate our efforts
to make out-of-home placements. Specifically, our West County
staff noted that 90% or more of the Supplemental and Amended
Juvenile Court Petitions we filed between July, 1987 and January
1988 were cases involving drug abuse. This represents additional
work for our staff in preparing and augmenting petitions.
County Efforts to Address Drug Abuse
State Child Welfare Law has yet to address drug abuse among
children or the impact and consequences of parental drug abuse on
children and infants.
SB 14 focused on protecting children from physical abuse or
neglect. Increased incidents of sexual abuse led to the adoption
of SB 3632 and SB 243 ; SB 3632 is intended to divert children
with severe emotional problems into Mental Health Services, and
SB 243 further refines methods of responding to sexual abuse
cases. California' s Child Welfare System, and our Department as
a part of that system, is not focused on either the impact of
drug abuse on children or drug abuse prevention efforts.
However, at the local level, Contra Costa County has a number of
County committees or programs focused on drug abuse prevention
with children and families. Efforts involving Health Services
Department staff, Social Services Department staff, and community
organization representatives include:
1. ADAPT (Alcohol and Drug Abuse and Pregnancy Task Force)
3
2 . High-Risk Infant Follow-Up Project.
3 . Committee on Guidelines for Infants with Drug Exposure.
4 . Child Death Review Team.
Additionally, CHDP (Child Health and Disability Prevention
Program) monitors health care to Foster Care and Medi-Cal
eligible children. CHDP currently has a Foster Care PHN funded
partially by Social Services.
Both ADAPT and the High Risk Infant Follow-Up Project are in the
process of developing interagency intervention and prevention
program proposals for submission to the State Department of
Health Services under special funding categories. Staff from
both Health Services and Social Services intend that these
interagency proposals be reviewed and authorized by the County' s
Youth Services Board.
Additionally, Assemblyman Polanco has requested our County, based
upon the work of these committees, to be a pilot county for AB
4585. AB 4585 would implement special guidelines for interagency
responses to children and infants with drug addiction or exposure
to drugs. We are currently working with Assemblyman Polanco's
staff on amendments and have discussed the feasibility of a pilot
in West County with Mary Foran - Chairperson of ADAPT.
Proposed Action
Referral of this report to the County's Youth Services Board,
along with direction to review the efforts underway by ADAPT, by
the High Risk Infant Follow-Up Project, and on the Polanco Bill
would allow the appropriate Department Heads to build on current
interagency programs addressing drug abuse prevention. The Youth
Services Board should seek to pool data on drug abuse, develop
links between existing efforts, and explore the feasibility of a
multi-agency approach to child-and-family drug abuse which
includes intervention, prevention, and treatment.
LA:ed
LA2/drugabu.doc
To: : BOARD OF SUPERVISORS 2-0011
FROM. JAMES A. RYDINGSWORD, DIRECTOR Contra
Social Service Department Cost
a
DATE: May 24, 1988 couq/
SUBJECT: DRUG ABUSE IN CHILDREN'S PROTECTIVE SERVICES �� ��``17
(June 7, 1988 Board Agenda)
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION`
RECOMMENDATION:
That the Board accept the Report from the Welfare Director on
Drug Abuse Related Cases in Children's Protective Services;
f That the Board recognize the many interagency and community
group efforts currently underway in County Government to
address the problems of drug abuse among children and
families; and,
That the Board authorize the County Administrator and Welfare
Director to review current drug abuse prevention efforts with
the County's Youth Services Board, and report back to the
Board in 90 days on methods to enhance current drug abuse
prevention efforts through a multi-agency approach with
specific attention on the feasibility of a pilot program
targeted for the West Contra Costa County area.
BACKGROUND:
At the Board of Supervisors' request, the County Welfare
Director collected information on the numbers of Childrens'
Protective Services cases involving drug abuse. A high
percentage of the CPS cases involve drug abuse.
Current State law does not specifically address drug abuse
issues in the child welfare/juvenile justice systems.
Several County committees, comprised of Health Services,
Social Services, and community group representatives, are
addressing drug abuse prevention/treatment. These committees
are developing proposals to obtain funding for projects
focused on various aspects of drug abuse in our communities.
Additionally, Assembly member Polanco has introduced State
legislation providing funding for Contra Costa County to
establish a pilot program related to infant/parent drug abuse
in the Child Welfare System.
X
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE.
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMM DATAAROMMITTEE
APPROVE OTHER
SIGNATURE(S)
A N OF BOARD ON APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS ,
UNANIMOUS (ABSENT ) 1 HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
AYES: NOES: D CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: AND TERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD
OF SUPE ORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
CC: Social Service Dept. - Louise Aiello ATTESTED
Phil Batchelor, of the 108rd o1
Supervisors and County isirata
M3e2/7-e3 BY DEPOT
2
The increasing numbers of drug abuse-related cases in
Childrens Protective Services deserves support. In
particular the high numbers of CPS cases involving drug abuse
in West County warrants special efforts.
The issues of drug abuse affect individuals, children, and
families served in Health Services, Social Services,
Probation, and Juvenile Court. Additionally, drug abuse
prevention involves effective working relationships with law
enforcement agencies. The Youth Services Board was
established to more effectively develop and coordinate
inter-agency and multi-agency programs.
Through the Youth Services Board, the County can ensure
support for the efforts of existing County Committees and
enhance multi-agency cooperation on drug abuse prevention
programs.
LA:ed
discl0/durabu.doc