Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts, Office of Children and Families in the Courts – 2020
This report discusses the establishment of the Pennsylvania Drug and Alcohol Workgroup and the workgroup’s activities and recommendations for 2020. It begins by sharing research findings on the importance of collaboration when working with the substance abusing child welfare population, the importance of treatment interventions including the whole family, and the need to recognize addiction as a disease in order to move forward with helping individuals and families affected by substance use disorders (SUDs). The report describes progress made on priorities for 2019-2020 including: testing Pennsylvania’s Drug and Alcohol In-Depth Analysis process in Luzerne County, providing an informative WebEx on the importance of leadership, forming partnerships, and collaboration to create a culture change around Substance Use Disorder for counties interested in the Pennsylvania’s Drug and Alcohol In-Depth Analysis, completing the Drug and Alcohol Resource Guide to serve as a reference for counties involved in the Pennsylvania’s Drug and Alcohol In-Depth Analysis, and finalizing a benchcard for judges and hearing officers regarding things to consider when a parent is using substances. Successes of the workgroup are then highlighted and the following recommendations are made to the Pennsylvania State Roundtable: the Office of Children & Families in the Courts, in collaboration with the co- chairpersons of the Drug and Alcohol Workgroup, provide an informative WebEx on the importance of leadership, forming partnerships and collaboration to create a culture change around Substance Use Disorder for counties interested in the Pennsylvania Drug and Alcohol In-Depth Analysis; the Pennsylvania State Roundtable strongly encourage the use of the Pennsylvania Drug and Alcohol In-Depth Analysis process for courts struggling with substance use disorder and child abuse; and the Drug and Alcohol Workgroup be permitted to sunset. 9 references.