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Child Welfare Practice Tip Sheets Series

This five-part series was developed for child welfare workers serving families affected by parental substance use disorders (SUDs). The purpose of the tip sheets is to increase knowledge, improve engagement of families, identify opportunities to plan for safety, and highlight the importance of collaborating across systems to improve protective capacities and factors for families.

For more resources on safety and risk, watch our video series on safety decision-making and planning for safety in child welfare cases.

National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare, 2023

Understanding Substance Use Disorders: What Child Welfare Staff Need to Know

Understanding Substance Use Disorders: What Child Welfare Staff Need to Know

National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare, 2022

Highlights practice considerations for child welfare professionals to learn more...(Read More)
View Document (PDF 778 KB)

Understanding Engagement of Families Affected by Substance Use Disorders – Child Welfare Practice Tips

Understanding Engagement of Families Affected by Substance Use Disorders – Child Welfare Practice Tips

National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare, 2022

Offers practical tips to engage families in child welfare and substance use disorder...(Read More)
View Document (PDF 1.11 MB)

Understanding Screening and Assessment of Substance Use Disorders - Child Welfare Practice Tips

Understanding Screening and Assessment of Substance Use Disorders - Child Welfare Practice Tips

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2022

Child welfare professionals can access information about identifying and treating...(Read More)
View Document (PDF 1.34 MB)

Identifying Safety and Protective Capacities for Families with Parental Substance Use Disorders and Child Welfare Involvement

National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare, 2022

Explores safety and risk factors associated with parental SUDs. Highlights strategies...(Read More)
View Document (PDF 834 KB)

Child Welfare & Planning for Safety: A Collaborative Approach for Families with Parental Substance Use Disorders and Child Welfa...

National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare, 2022

Provides an overview of safety factors related to parental SUDs and the unique...(Read More)
View Document (PDF 1.36 MB)

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