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Cannabis

Child welfare, SUD treatment, court, and health care professionals must navigate the shifting legal landscape of cannabis and its effects on families. These resources highlight approaches for prevention and treatment.

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Cannabis Tip Sheets Series

Tip Sheet 1: Navigating the Complexities of Cannabis Use Among Parents and Adolescents in Child Welfare Services

National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare, 2024

The National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare (NCSACW) created this four-part tip sheet series for child welfare, SUD

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Policy and Practice Resources

Cannabis and Pregnancy

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevent..., 2024

Highlights the potential health effects of using cannabis during pregnancy and while

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Cannabis Tip Sheets Series

National Center on Substance Abuse and Child..., 2024

The National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare (NCSACW) created this four-part tip sheet series for child welfare, SUD

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Advisory Cannabidiol (CBD)—Potential Harms, Side Effects, and Unknowns

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services A..., 2023

This advisory introduces readers to cannabidiol (CBD), how it is derived, and how it

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View Document (PDF 1.9 MB)

AllRise FAQ: Medical Marijuana

All Rise, 2022

The legalization of medical marijuana raises important questions for treatment courts

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View Document (PDF 310 KB)

Preventing Marijuana Use Among Youth

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services A..., 2021

The goal of this guide is to review the literature on prevention of marijuana use

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View Document (PDF 7.2 MB)

State and Local Examples

Oregon Department of Human Services Child Welfare Procedure Manual

Oregon Department of Human Services, Office ..., 2024

Includes a procedure for child welfare staff to assess for cannabis use as they would

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View Document (PDF 17.7 MB)

Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) Policy Manual

Los Angeles County DCFS Policy Institute Web..., 2023

Outlines the protocols for assessing the use of medical and recreational marijuana in

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Marijuana Pregnancy and Breastfeeding Guidance for Health Care Providers

Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Hea...

With marijuana now legal in Nevada, the Division of Public and Behavioral Health

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View Document (PDF 426 KB)

Additional Resources

Substance Use Prevention Resources for Youth and College Students

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services A...

SAMHSA offers free, downloadable publications and tip sheets, as well as mobile apps

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“Talk. They Hear You.” Campaign

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services A...

SAMHSA’s national youth substance use prevention campaign helps parents and

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Find Help with a Personal Situation

Substance Use and Mental Health Treatment Locator

To find treatment facilities confidentially, 24/7, please call 1-800-662-4357 (HELP).

To locate general treatment services, visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA’s) Treatment Locator online or call 1-800-662-4357 (HELP). This service provides referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations. It is a free, confidential, 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a year information service, in English and Spanish, for individuals and family members needing treatment for a mental and/or substance use disorder.

To locate general treatment services, visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA’s) Treatment Locator online or call 1-800-662-4357 (HELP). This service provides referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations. It is a free, confidential, 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a year information service, in English and Spanish, for individuals and family members needing treatment for a mental and/or substance use disorder.

National Child Abuse Hotline

If you suspect a child has been harmed by abuse or neglect, please call 1-800-422-4453.

If you suspect that a child has been harmed or is at risk of being harmed by abuse or neglect, call the National Child Abuse Hotline at Call the National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453. Serving the United States and Canada, the hotline is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with professional crisis counselors who—through interpreters—provide assistance in over 170 languages. All calls, texts, and chats are confidential. If you believe a child is in immediate danger of harm, call 911 first.

If you suspect that a child has been harmed or is at risk of being harmed by abuse or neglect, call the National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453. Serving the United States and Canada, the hotline is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with professional crisis counselors who—through interpreters—provide assistance in over 170 languages. All calls, texts, and chats are confidential. If you believe a child is in immediate danger of harm, call 911 first.

National Suicide Prevention Line

For free and confidential support for people in distress, 24/7, please call or text 988, chat 988Lifeline.org, or call 1-800-273-8255.

If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide or experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis, help is available and there are options to receive compassionate care. You can call or text 988 or chat 988Lifeline.org. You can also call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255). Both are confidential and available 24/7 to everyone in the United States and will connect you to a trained counselor at a suicide crisis center nearest you.

If you or someone you know are in crisis, thinking about harming yourself, attempting suicide, or harming another person, tell someone who can help right away. There are options to help you cope. Call the toll-free, 24-hour hotline of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) to be connected to a trained counselor at a suicide crisis center nearest you. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is confidential support, available 24/7 to everyone in the United States.

Contact Us

The National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare offers free technical assistance to a variety of systems on making policy and practice changes to improve outcomes for families affected by substance use disorders and involvement with child welfare services. To learn more about technical assistance services or if you have a question please email NCSACW at ncsacw@cffutures.org or call toll-free at 1–866–493–2758.

Administration for Children & FamiliesSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
https://ncsacw.acf.hhs.gov

An official website of the Administration for Children and Families and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare