Amari

Lynn
Public Policy Change
To: United States Congress
From: Amari Lahoya Lynn
Subject: Reporting Substance Exposure of Newborn to Child Protective Services
Date: Friday, April 22, 2016
____________________________________________________________________________________
In the United States, several states do
not have any laws enforcing that infants exposed to substance have to
be reported to CPS (Child Protective
Services). Actually only fifteen states
have laws or policies that make doctors report illegal substance exposure
to CPS, according to National Conference of State Legislatures: Children
Policy Initiate. Some of these states
only report the exposure depending
on the immediate circumstances.
However, this policy is unfair for the
children who are forced to grow up
developing much slower then their
peers or are forced to suffer with disabilities. A fictional example of this
type of policy can be found in the
movie entitled Losing Isaiah. In this movie, Isaiah was a newborn child addicted Heroine. In the movie
he is able get the help that he needs from the foster home he was placed with. In Isaiahs case, he was
very fortunate in that his case was reported. However, in many places throughout the United Staes this is
not normally the case. When these types of cases are not reported, a child cannot get the necessary
help that they need to deal with emerging issues. Also, several children may not be placed in homes with
families that could care for their needs. The policy change I would like to implement would be that every
state should have to report substance exposure in newborns to CPS immediately after birth. As a nation,
we should be creating laws to protect the next generation of leaders, lawyers, doctors and members of
this great nation. The current laws that are in place are very different and vary in every state. As a nation
we must create uniformity on this issue. Most states don't even recognize the harm that legal drugs such
as tobacco and alcohol have on a childs development. As a nation, the united states decided to go to war against drugs, however it is
not protecting some of its smallest citizen from
the effects of drug use.
Newborns that are exposed to substances such
as methamphetamine, Heroine, Cocaine,
steroids, Marijuana, hallucinogens, Ecstasy,
tobacco and alcohol during fetus development
have different effects on their development.
Every single substance listed above has a different effect on the childs development. While
most states don't have laws about reporting
legal drugs like alcohol and tobacco their effects on the newborns development can be just
as damaging as illicit drugs. Alcohol for example, can cause newborns to have premature
births, learning disabilities, birth defects, brain damage and slow development. This substance can cause

newborns to have some of the same developmental problems as newborns exposed to Cocaine. Some
effects of Cocaine on newborns include: premature birth, learning disabilities, brain damage, risk of HIV,
slow development, and birth
defects. Again, in the eyes
of the law, the children
don't get their cases reported to CPS. Many require
this help to get the services
that they may need to develop. However many
states have strict laws
against the use and disruption of drugs. According to
the 12 keys rehab 4% of
Pregnant women in the US
use illicit drugs. This means
that about 176,200 children
are effected or exposed to
drugs a year..

My proposed policy on
substance exposure of
newborns should resemble
the laws of the District of
Colombia. The District of
Columbia currently has in
place laws with the inclusion of legal drugs. The
laws in the District of Columbia are as follows,
Upon receipt of a report
that a child is born addicted

to or dependent on a controlled substance or has a significant presence

of a controlled substance in his or her system at birth; has a controlled substance in his or her body as a
direct and foreseeable consequence of the acts or omissions of the childs parent, guardian, or custodian;
or is regularly exposed to illegal drug-related activity in the home, the agency shall:
Commence an initial investigation in accordance with 4-1301.04(b) and 4-1301.06
Determine whether the child should be removed temporarily from the home environment or can be pro
tected in the home environment
Commence a social investigation and provide social services if the initial investigation results in a substantiated report A social investigation shall include a determination of whether there is reason
able evidence that:
Any member of the childs home environment uses drugs illegally, is dependent on drugs, or needs drug
abuse treatment.
The child is exposed regularly to drug use in the home environment.
The distribution or sale of illegal drugs or drug paraphernalia occurs in the childs home environment.
Drug-related activity has contributed to or is likely to contribute to violent conduct within the childs
home environment.
The social services shall include:
Provision of drug treatment to any member of the childs home environment who is
determined to be in need of drug treatment
Measures to facilitate action by the childs family, with the assistance of the agency and the
police if necessary, to eliminate the childs exposure to drug use or to the distribution or
sale of illegal drugs or drug paraphernalia in the home environment
Any other service authorized or required by this subchapter or other applicable laws or rules
of the District of Columbia. (the State stature)

I propose that the rest of the states of our great nation follow the example made by the District of Columbia and include legal drugs as well as illegal drugs in its laws that affect children.
My proposal to congress is for a bright future for the next generation with the help and care that each
may need. We have the ability to create a bright future for every child even those that may have struggled at the beginning.
Work cited
"Drugs During Pregnancy [Infographic] | 12 Keys Rehab Center Blog." 12 Keys Rehab Center Blog RSS.
N.p., 12 Mar. 2013. Web. 20 Apr. 2016. <http://www.12keysrehab.com/blog/this-is-your-baby-ondrugs-infographic/>.
Christian, Teve. "SUBSTANCE-EXPOSED NEWBORNS: NEW FEDERAL LAW RAISES SOME OLD
ISSUES." National Conference of State Legislatures 1 CHILDRENS POLICY INITIATIVE
ACOLLABORATIVE PROJECT ON CHILDREN AND FAMILY ISSUES (n.d.): n. pag. Sept 2004.
Web. 13 Apr. 2106. <http://www.ncsl.org/print/cyf/newborns.pdf>.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children an. Parental Drug Use as
Child Abuse. Place of Publication Not Identified: Bibliogov, 2013. Web. <https://
www.childwelfare.gov/pubPDFs/drugexposed.pdf