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#if this is an area of expertise or specific interest for anyone feel free 2 direct me to some books or videos or whatever
mikeanzivino · 1 year
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Investing in Your Future: The Value of Choosing Mike Anzivino as Your Southwest Florida Realtor
Are you planning to buy or sell a property in Southwest Florida? If so, then it's essential to choose the right realtor who can help you achieve your goals. And that's where Mike Anzivino comes in! With years of experience and expertise in the local real estate market, he is undoubtedly one of the best choices for anyone looking to invest in their future. In this blog post, we'll explore why choosing Mike as your Best Realtors in Southwest Florida could be an excellent decision and how he can help you maximize your investment. So let's get started!
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When you’re looking for a realtor, you want someone who is knowledgeable about the area, has your best interests at heart, and will fight to get you the best price possible. Mike Anzivino has been a realtor in Southwest Florida for over 20 years. He knows the ins and outs of the market, and he’s dedicated to his clients. Here are a few things that set Mike apart from other realtors:
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7 .He works with a team of experienced professionals who can help with every aspect of your home purchase or sale, from financing to closing.
8 .He offers a free consultation to discuss your specific needs and how he can help you achieve your real estate goals
Benefits of Working with the Best Realtors in Southwest Florida
When it comes to making one of the biggest investments of your life, you want to work with someone you can trust. Mike Anzivino has been helping people buy and sell homes in Southwest Florida for over 25 years. He knows the ins and outs of the real estate market, and he’ll work tirelessly to get you the best deal possible.
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How to Choose the Right Realtor for Your Needs
The process of buying or selling a home is a complicated one, so it's important to choose a realtor who is experienced and knowledgeable about the area in which you're looking to buy or sell. Mike Anzivino has been working as a realtor in Southwest Florida for over 20 years, and he has the experience and expertise to help you through every step of the process.
When you're ready to start looking for a new home, or to put your current home on the market, Mike will sit down with you to discuss your specific needs and wants. He'll then use his years of experience and knowledge of the area to help you find the perfect home, or to get your home sold quickly and for the best possible price.
Mike is always available to answer any questions you may have, and he'll work tirelessly on your behalf to make sure that your experience is a positive one. If you're looking for an experienced and knowledgeable realtor who will always have your best interests at heart, then Mike Anzivino is the right choice for you.
Investing in Your Future with Mike Anzivino
If you're looking for a realtor who will help you invest in your future, look no further than Mike Anzivino. As a Southwest Florida native, Mike knows the ins and outs of the area's real estate market. He'll work with you to find the perfect property – whether it's a starter home or a vacation rental – and negotiate the best price possible.
What's more, Mike is an experienced investor himself. He'll share his knowledge with you and help you make sound investment decisions that will grow your wealth over time. With Mike as your realtor, you can be confident that you're making a smart investment in your future.
Conclusion
Investing in your future is a smart move and Mike Anzivino can help you make the most of it. He’s an experienced real estate professional with knowledge and expertise that will provide you with the best possible outcome when purchasing property in Southwest Florida. With his advice, guidance, and dedication to seeing your dreams become reality, Mike Anzivino is the perfect choice for anyone looking to invest and build their own future in this wonderful area.
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albatris · 3 years
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well. there's a lot going on. I'm extremely tired n I'm about ready to just lie facedown on the floor and not move until life forces me to. so. I'm gonna design some ports
I said ages ago that my next step for atdao would be Making Ports Weirder so I've gotta do some idea generation and experimenting and practice
n some better Port Worldbuilding
like I've covered what the function of ports is and what big scale effect they have on the universe and what their role is in the worldbuilding and the story but
I've not gone real specific with them in terms of individual ports and what specific different kinds of malfunctions in reality they can cause
like. I do with a few?
but I can do better and I deserve to do better considering the potential there is for all sorts of avenues of weirdness
I gotta make the most of that premise, I gotta Vibe
#but yeah pls bear with me i am extremely tired and out of it#i have missed some tags and messages i am unlikely to be very prompt#with my responses for a while#also I've decided its time for DISTRACTION and thus am going to be delving into reading abt#unexplained phenomena and weird shit#if this is an area of expertise or specific interest for anyone feel free 2 direct me to some books or videos or whatever#anyway#ports r an ode to my love of collections of Weird Fucking Bullshit#like u know the kind of media that just Collects Weird Bullshit and is just like#''did y'all see that? that shit was fucked. we have no idea what that was. anyway moving on''#like#my love for the monster of the week eps of x files as compared to the fact that#though i have seen all of the x files i probably could not explain to you what the actual overarching plot entails#n i think at least early magnus archives fits the bill too lmao#but ya anyway#i love media that just collects stuff like this like just weird unexplained bullshit but I'm not so#great at generating my own but i think it could b really fun#n I'm toying with the idea of dotting through the story these excerpts from reports from various DII employees about#specific incidents#maybe ones with elements that play into relevant aspects of the current plot#cuz it'd b a good way to stretch my creative muscles and give me some practice coming up with these things#and also it'd help me out with finding various other character's Voices#like alice and jet#n others in the DII i haven't rly talked abt#atdao
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can.... can we get a cast for your zoologist Trek show?
I don't have names for them but here we go! This is kind of long, so I'm putting the characters under a cut.
The ship is called the USS Frontiersman. It works mostly in deep space, studying new forms of life on newly discovered planets. Crew compliment of 160. 50 exozoologists, 50 exobotanists, 20 environmentalists (including geologists and atmospheric experts). The remaining 40 crew members are engineers, security officers, helmsman, and the captain and first officer. I'm not positive on the time period this is set during, but it's at least at a point where there's not much conflict between Cardassia and the Federation.
Captain: She's a 40-year-old Engineer who never expected to make captain. Finding out she was being offered a command was the best day of her life. The worst day of her life was the next day, when she stepped on board and realized it was an exobiology ship filled with eccentrics. She slept through her required exobiology course so she has no idea what any of her crew members are talking about. She's basically that babysitter who's charges are all extremely passionate about things she doesn't understand and the parents have asked her to drive them around to local museums and science learning centers while the kids yell in the backseat about who's topic of interest is better.
First Officer: She's a 30-year-old who went through the academy on the command route and was known for being an excellent pilot. Has less knowledge of exobiology than the captain. The two of them keep trying to push interpersonal conflicts to be solved off on one another because neither of them understand what anyone's talking about enough to truly help solve the issue and, frankly, they're both a little frightened of the ferocity of their crew.
Head Engineer: Bajoran who actually did pay attention in biology and, while she's a little confused, she's eager to learn about what the others are prattling on about and is an excellent listener. She tries her best to translate for the non-exobiologist crew members, especially the captain and first officer. She was married (spouse died. tragically) and has a daughter that follows her around engineering. Everyone loves the kid and tries to convince her to study whatever their area of expertise is. Later in the show, when she's a little older, she decides to go the command route at Starfleet and become a pilot, much to the crew's dismay. The First Officer is absolutely tickled.
Chief Medical Officer(s): The Frontiersman actually has 2 chief medical officers; a doctor and a veterinarian. Yes, this is terribly inefficient and yes, they constantly butt heads. The vet is a young human woman from Ohio with a dry sense of humor and a penchant for snark. The doctor is a young human male from Michigan with a dry sense of humor and a penchant for snark. They absolutely hate each other until the day they realize that they are actually in love with each other and all of their arguments have been attempts to deny their attraction. Both of them are absolutely disgusted that they could fall in love with someone so... so... infuriating gosh dang it. They try to continue denying their feelings for each other because they are from rival states and they constantly fight over jurisdiction in the medbay for new species. One day, however, one of their most heated arguments ends in a passionate kiss and they stop fighting their feelings (but not each other).
From there, the rest of the crew is divided up under chiefs of specific taxonomical divisions. Sometimes a division will only have 1 scientist, other times it has a whole crew of people. Depends on the frequency of that type of living thing appearing. Most divisions only have 3 people; a chief and two junior officers. Not every chief is featured in the show because that would be too many characters, so just the ones that are considered part of the senior staff, which were selected by Starfleet at the time of commission based on training.
Chief of Feliformia: She's a hotheaded Betazoid in her mid 30's who spends her free time boxing on the holodeck. She argues a lot with the Chief of Canidae, but they still have breakfast together every morning to trade ship gossip. She wrestles with PTSD and anxiety, which she hides under a layer of bravado. Surprisingly enough, the only person she really feels comfortable opening up to about her past is the Chief of Canidae, because, despite all of their banter about cats vs dogs, they're her closest friend and she appreciates their blunt honesty.
Chief of Canidae: They're a Trill in their mid 30's who's passionate to the point of poetry about dog-like creatures. They're host to a younger symbiont, and they're one of the shortest people on the ship. They also only really open up to the Chief of Feliformia for similar reasons; the blunt honesty. Their relationship is strictly platonic (and I mean actually platonic, not whatever the VOY writers were trying to sell to us about Janeway and Chakotay).
Chief of Rodentia: He's a 70-year-old Bajoran/Cardassian. His mother defected from the Cardassian army to be with his father and the two of them raised him on earth where he raised pet rats. He always has about 7 various rodents tucked into his lab coat. He is a neat freak about his lab space and refuses to let anyone into his area unless they have completely scrubbed up and promise not to touch his PADD stack. Part of his particularity about his lab comes from the fact that he faced a lot of public ridicule due to his mixed heritage when he was young and so he's naturally very defensive of everything he does and owns.
Chief of Chiroptera: She's a twenty-something Half Vulcan-Half Betazoid who was raised on Betazed. Her Vulcan mother was the Vulcan ambassador on Betazed, and her work made her somewhat absent so, while she has enough of a restraint on her emotions not to be violent or aggressive, she's also more Betazoid in terms of personality. The combination of telepathic and empathic abilities from her parents has made her sensitive to large crowds, which is why she LOVES working in caves with bats away from other people. The combination of the two species' abilities constantly bombarding her and the need to restrain her Vulcan emotions have also resulted in her having ADD (her attention is being pulled in every direction so focusing on other tasks that don't immediately grasp her interest is SUPER difficult for her). However, she's also incredibly kind, difficult to shock or surprise, and very passionate about her work.
Chief of Reptilia: They're a human in their early 50's, a bit reclusive, and VERY unwilling to let people in their lab. They never show up to a meeting without a snake around their neck. The snake might be venomous. No one knows for sure. Whatever the case; everyone on board is pretty sure the reptile division is actually a cult because they never see anyone from that crew outside of the lab decks.
Chief of Aves: She's human, no one knows her age, and she refuses to wear a standard-issue lab coat, opting instead to wear a tie-die coat that reaches the floor. She speaks in riddles and everyone thinks she's crazy, but she's actually incredibly wise and an excellent listener. She specializes in raptors.
Chief of Livestock: Even though it's not technically a taxonomical order, they have a guy who specializes in studying livestock of alien cultures. No one is sure how old he is, or what his species is, for that matter. He has the calm, level-headedness of a Vulcan, but he always wears a hat so no one sees his ears or eyebrows to know for sure. He might just be a Midwestern farmer, because they can be Like That too. Despite working with livestock, he also never gets injured, so not even the doctor knows. Some people speculate that he's not human OR Vulcan, but some other immortal species, like a Q. This mystery is never solved on the show, but everyone really likes this guy.
Chief Exobotanist: Despite the fact that the plants are divided up into other taxonomical species, they all report to one Chief Botanist because the plant department is a lot more efficient and interconnected than the animal departments. Despite this, she's completely overworked and undercaffeinated. However, her workload doesn't stop her from being one of the sweetest and most creative people on board. As to the rest of her character, I defer to @emilie786 , as she is the inspiration for this character!
There are other chiefs who are occasional recurring characters, like the Chief of Aquaculture and the Chief of Amphibians. There are also several junior officers who we get to know a bit that are kind of fun. I'm thinking there's some kind of star-crossed lovers arc going on between someone who works in exobotany and someone who works in exozoology. There's also an overworked head of security who is getting really sick and tired of all the escapee animals he has to track down. I think he might fall in love with the Chief Exobotanist partially because plants don't run away and get into the Jeffries tubes (until they do, of course).
Anyway, if anyone wants to add to this, go for it! I'm open to ideas!
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emmeoutofline · 4 years
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Everyone in the British wizarding world knows St. Mungo’s is the place to go for any malady or injury. Over the centuries, it has grown and flourished with the initial space expanding to fit the needs of modern patients and hospital staff. On any given day, you can find a wizard have the flowers that replaced his ears trimmed and a witch reeling from noxious poison fume inhalation. Whatever a patient’s needs, St. Mungo’s takes great care in being able to provide.
Hospital Staff
Full staff: When most people think about St. Mungo’s, they think of only a few roles: healers, mediwix, and the bright shining face of the welcome witch. Their staff is far more expansive, however. Taking care of the building itself are the maintenance and custodial staff members. On the ground floor to run the Admissions Department are archivists who update and organize hospital records. Upstairs on the fifth floor are a whole team of potioneers, apothecarists, and herboligists running the pharmacy and apothecary, as well as the tea and gift shop staff. Together this team work to create the safe and comfortable network the average wix thinks of when St. Mungo’s is mentioned.
Trainee program: Healers and mediwix both have a six month general education, followed by a training rotation to each of the floors. Healers take two years with a rotation every four months for on-the-job experience in each department. Mediwix take one year with a rotation every two months. After spending a full internship on each floor for observation, practicum, and mentoring, a trainee chooses the floor where they feel they will have the best fit to return for another full term where they explore the particularly wards for the best fit and gradually receive more independence. It should be noted that trainees are not necessarily locked into these department roles if they determine that another place may better suit their interests and talents. It is also not uncommon for a trainee to begin their final four month rotation in one department and transfer floors a month in. The important part of the process is to understand how each healer or mediwix can flourish within the St. Mungo’s system. For the more particular wards with specialized expertise, up to six months more can be required in a program. Total, trainees spend two and a half to three years at some point in their training before they are considered a full healer or mediwitch.
Hospital Layout
Although the average wix may not be as familiar with it, there is a specific system in place that was used to facilitate and organize expansion as the hospital has grown. Some floors are significantly larger than others based on the number of wards or volume of patients, sometimes both. For that reason, the undetectable extension charms used across the hospital are not the same size for each floor. The units themselves also have been shifted and expanded where needed over time.
Explanation of floor coding: Each floor serves a unique purpose. Because magical injuries are often so specific, patients are divided up according to injury type. The first number of each ward’s code reflects the floor on which it is housed. The second number refers to the specific purpose of the ward numbered 1-9. Not every floor necessarily has a ward for each number. 1 is always an emergency and diagnosis ward. 2-5 are saved for specialized areas on the floors. 6 is for general care like physicals and precautionary checkups. 7 is intensive care for people who cannot be immediately treated but have severe, often life-threatening symptoms. 8 is recovery for short term stays and observation after treatment. 9 is permanent and long term care.
Purge and Dowse, Ltd: This is the facade name used for St. Mungo’s outward appearance, as the building is located in Muggle London. Wix can enter by traveling from the outside, or by floo or apparition directly into the reception area.
Ground Floor: Reception and Artifact Accidents Department
Reception Area and Welcome Desk:  (Sometimes informally referred to as Ward -01 by hospital staff) Where visitors enter and where non-immediate emergency patients wait for redirection. This includes any singing, sprouting, sputtering, or otherwise non-fatal conditions.
Admissions Department: Where records are created and kept for all incoming patients. A patient’s name and birthday being written on a particular scroll automatically calls forward all of that patient’s previous medical history for review or a newly added entry.
Ward 01: Artifact Emergency Unit: For walk-ins and immediate care or diagnosis before redirection to other artifact wards.
Ward 02: Ignatia Wildsmith Explosive Care Unit: Where victims of (accidental or purposeful) exploded objects go. This includes exploding cauldrons and backfiring wands if there is no potion or spell specific damage inflicted.
Ward 03: Cursed Artifacts Ward: Where victims exposed to dark artifacts come for treatment.
Ward 04: Mishandled Artifacts Ward: For patients whose injuries were caused by the mishandling of specialized magical artifacts. This includes broom-related injuries.
Ward 06: Tertius Ward for Precautionary Artifact Care: General physicals for patients who believe they may be suffering long term ill effects from exposure to a magical artifact. Also general physicals for an artifact-related event where the patient has seemingly no ill effects.
Ward 08: Artifact Aftermath Ward: Where already treated patients stay overnight or for a few days when their injuries seem fully treated, but a stay for observation has been recommended.
Ward 09: Artifact Alteration Ward: For patients who have been permanently altered by some form of artifact injury and can no longer function on their own.
First Floor: Creature-Induced Injuries Department
Ward 11: Creature Emergency Unit: For walk-ins and immediate care or diagnosis before redirection to other creature wards.
Ward 12: Flavius Belby Ward for Creature Maimings: Where those slashed, gouged, generally bitten or otherwise disfigured by a run in with a magical creature go for care and repair. Sometimes seen as a vanity ward because many creature experts have little problem with scars or missing limbs.
Ward 13: “Dangerous” Dai Llweellyn Ward for Serious Bites: For creature bites of a more severe caliber, especially when venom and other magical side effects are in play. Despite the name, they also handle severe stings and poisonous scratches.
Ward 14: Magical Insect Infestation Ward: For anyone suffering from concerns like embedded spiders or magical worms. Though magic is specified in the name, they also handle wix suffering the effects of ringworm, parasites and insects considered mundane in nature.
Ward 17: Creature Care of Complexity Unit: Houses patients for a few reasons: severe reactions to an unknown creature encounter, creature venom complicated by a potions reaction, reactions to attacks from multiple kinds of creatures at once, or any other unusual situation which doesn’t fall under one of the main three wards.
Second Floor: Magical Bugs and Ailments Department
Ward 21: Disease Diagnosis Ward: For walk-ins and immediate care or diagnosis before redirection to other magical ailment wards.
Ward 22: Xavier Rastrick Contagion Unit: Where highly contagious diseases like Vanishing Sickness and Scrofungulus are treated.
Ward 23: Gungilda of Gorsemoor Ward: This ward’s specific focus has changed over St. Mungo’s history, as it is renamed to reflect the most dangerous and prevalent contagious disease is during a particular time. Since Dragon Pox is so specific and continues to have outbreaks, this unit has remained named after the cure creator since the 1400s. Even though that cure is not always effective, it remains the single most important step forward in Dragon Pox research.
Ward 24: Miserable Maladies Ward: For unpleasant but not inherently contagious magical maladies.
Ward 25: Mundane Maladies Ward: For treatment of muggle diseases such as the flu or pneumonia. Most wix of at least halfblood pedigree choose to check themselves or family members into St. Mungo’s if simple potion treatments aren’t working rather than trust muggle doctors.
Ward 26: Dilys Derwent Children’s Ward: Unlike most floors’ ward plan, The Magical Bugs Department handles general care as part of Ward 21 with diagnosis. As a result, this ward received special designation for children, even for general physicals. Unless there is a specific cause like a cursed object or especially nasty backfired spell, this is where children are often treated at St. Mungo’s.
Ward 28: Recovery and Relapse Ward: For patients who seem cured of contagious malady to regain their strength and be under observation until they are deemed safe to rejoin the general public.
Ward 29: Incurable Illness Ward: For patients who will never be free of their illness or who have been so affected that they can no longer function on their own.
Third Floor: Plant Poisoning Department and Potions Department--Run interconnected in their goals and expertise, Share some healers and most units across the floor.
Ward 31: Potions, Plants, and Poisonings Emergency Unit: For walk-ins and immediate care or diagnosis before redirection to other potions or poisoning wards.
Ward 32: Phyllida Spore Ward for Plant-Based Problems: Where rashes, boils, breathing problems, regurgitations, hallucinations, poisonings, and any other issues caused by plant contact, ingestion, or strangulation are treated.
Ward 33: J. Pippin Ward for Potion-Based Problems: Where rashes, boils, breathing problems, regurgitations, hallucinations, poisonings, and any other issues caused by potion ingestion, incorrect brewing, and general potion spills are treated.
Ward 36: Poisoning Prevention and Precaution Unit: For patients who will be handling dangerous plants and potions to receive preventative elixirs or protections, as well as general physicals patients who may have been exposed but show no immediate symptoms.
Ward 37: Cliodna Care Unit: For when patients are clearly suffering the affects of a poisoning but for one reason or another, the cause is unknown. They also receive surprisingly frequent examples of food poisoning, and some patients end up here for lack of a better location.
Ward 38: Post-Poison Ward: Where already treated patients stay overnight or for a few days when their injuries seem fully treated, but a stay for observation has been recommended.
Ward 39: Permanently Poisoned Ward: For patients who have been permanently altered by some form of potion or plant encounter and can no longer function on their own.
Fourth Floor: Spell Damage Department
Ward 41: Spell-Based Emergency Unit:  For walk-ins and immediate care or diagnosis before redirection to other spell-based wards.
Ward 42: Dark Magic and Curse Care Unit: Where patients suffering the effects of curses, strong hexes, and other forms of dark spellwork come for recovery.
Ward 43: Transfiguration Removal Ward: For patients who received side effects or results from transfiguration gone awry or transfiguration which does not have a clear counterspell.
Ward 44: Balfour Blane Ward for Miscast Charms: For patients who suffer the effects of incorrectly cast charms or charms which do not have a clear counterspell.
Ward 45: Urquhart Rackharrow Ward for Unusual Cases: For patients whose symptoms are caused by spell-adjacent magic without clear causes due to unclear miscasting, experimental changes, and other unusual effects. This includes patients suffering effects of accidental magic by children whose magic doesn’t necessarily operate cleanly in life with commonly used spells.
Ward 46: Misspelled Precautionary Ward: General physicals for patients who may have come into contact with incorrect spellwork or be suffering long term spell-related effects.
Ward 48: Spell Surveillance Ward:  Where already treated patients stay overnight or for a few days when their injuries seem fully treated, but a stay for observation has been recommended.
Ward 49: Janice Thickey Ward:  For patients who have been so affected by spell damage or results that they can no longer function on their own.
Fifth Floor: Non-medical Areas
Tea Room and Gift Shop: Where hospital visitors can get a quick meal and buy approved goods to gift to patients.
Apothecary and Magical Pharmacy: Where ready-made potions and other treatments can be picked up, as well as commonly used ingredients for healing potions for the wix who prefers to brew their own. Some items require a healer prescription while many are available for anyone to purchase.
Staff Break Rooms: Regardless of floor level or expertise, all healers, mediwix, and other staff use the same break areas on this floor. It allows for co-mingling and has been said to be helpful in clearing the mind from the moment a healer climbs the stairs away from their floor.
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swanky-batman · 6 years
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Twisted Tales- Bucky x Little Mermaid Part 1/3
Bucky Barnes (as merman) and Reader (as Ursula the Sea Witch)
Warnings: Probably a little violence, drinking, maybe even a little swearing at some point.
So, this was supposed to be a one shot, that could have other storylines spin offs if people wanted them- like Steve x Tangled or Loki x Beauty and the Beast- but it got a little long. ;\ Also, I’m just trying this out- so I would love some feedback! I added the description near the top so you could get the feel for it. Thanks for reading <3 (I love the drawing for this!! <3 not mine, credit in pic.)
Masterlist      Twisted Tales Masterlist
Part 2    Part 3
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In this Twisted combination, Bucky Barnes is Prince Eric from the Little Mermaid. And he wants to visit the water so much. So when his father allows his to take a ship out for his birthday, he happily accepts- regardless of the promises he made once he got back. With one slightly shady character, he makes a deal- and his ship gets hit by massive waves; instead of Ariel saving our Prince Bucky, he turned into a merman. He can’t believe how much of this underwater world exists- now he’s being chased by this weird little girl with red hair that won’t leave him alone, and the only help he can get is from you-the reader, as Sea Witch Ursula.
“Coming,” Prince Bucky shouted down the hall after being called, pulling his gaze away from the water.
“You’re always looking out there,” Sighed his father, “There are more important things.”
“Right.” He replied, “What’s so wrong with the water again?”
His father rolled his eyes a little, “What if we made a deal?”
Bucky’s eyebrow twitched, “About?”
“You will pay less attention to the water- a lot less. In exchange, for your birthday I’ll send you out on a ship to celebrate, away from the fancy party. And-” Here it comes, that was too easy- Bucky thought, “You’ll get more serious about finding a bride.”
His face hardened a little, trying on that mask he cleverly wore around his father. “Will there be fancy people I don’t know on the ship?”
“None. Only the people you want on there for the entire day.” The king responded.
He thought about it for a minute, “I will look more and go to more events- only if I get to take a walk every night along the water.”
The king’s eyes gleamed, “Deal.” He held out his hand and Bucky shook it.
--
The time went by and the ship and people gathered for the day. Bucky didn’t have a lot of friends outside the castle but he invited them all. He wanted there to be drinking and fun, surrounded by water.
“Ready, sir?”
“More than ready!” Bucky answered, boarding the ship.
After leaving port, they all started the music and dancing along the main deck. He noticed someone on the ship that he didn’t recognize, so he went up to talk to them.
The stranger was wearing a dark hood over their face.
“Hey there,” Bucky greeted, “Did my father send you?” He lowered his voice a little.
“No, not at all. I’m supposed to keep an eye on a buddy of mine.” His voice seemed unusually low.
“Uh-huh.” Bucky looked at him.
“I hear you like the water quite a bit, my prince.”
“I do, yes.”
“And your father doesn’t?”
“Correct again, stranger.”
“It seems to me, you should be free to explore the water.”
“I’m liking you more and more.” Bucky chuckled.
“You know, it’s said that my expertise is in underwater breathing.”
“Oh yeah?” Bucky asked. He nodded.
“I can train you if you want, but I do have a contract. So no worries get pushed on me.”
Bucky debated for a minute. “I only have today.”
“My training only takes a couple of hours to complete.” The stranger laughed, “But if you would prefer not to, then so be it.” He turned.
“No, I’m interested.” Bucky stopped him. The man pulled out the contract to sign. Bucky started to read it over when another man called him from the other side of the deck. Bucky signed it quickly and ran off to the other side.
Suddenly, there was a bolt of thunder in the otherwise clear sky. It got dark within another couple of minutes, and the waves started to get bigger. The boat rocked, Bucky losing his balance, sliding. Another bolt of lightning, and the ship was hit this time.
Bucky got flipped overboard, under a piece of ship. He struggled, trying to get free- trying to conserve his breath. He lost his patience and gave in to a gulp of breath. To his surprise, it felt like he could breathe. He did it again, opening his eyes, pushing away from the hunk of ship.
He blinked and shook his head, what the heck happened to his legs?
“You okay?” A girl swam up to him, with flowing red hair.
Bucky shrieked a little, was he hearing her? And her legs, they were…
“You’re funny,” She laughed, “You look- have I seen you before?”
“I-I don’t think so.” Bucky answered back. Okay, he was either dead or knocked unconscious.
“Say, do you wanna hang out?” She twitched her eyebrow.
“Err, not now. Thanks.”
“Aww, come on. I’ll show you my- collection.” She smiled, swimming around him.
“I’m alright, thanks.” Bucky said again, getting a little more annoyed. He went to move and went pretty smoothly. He noticed the girl pouting and watching him.
He moved along, his eyes finally seeming to be adjusted to the water. She followed. He swam faster, trying to dodge her.
“Leave me alone.” He called.
“Come on…” She pouted, “I want to see you, and I get what I want.”
“How annoying.” He swam deeper and deeper into an area, finally diving into a dark cavern. She seemed to be lurking about so he dove deeper into it.
--
“Who-are-you?” You said in a menacing voice. The man seemed to be startled, turning around- his eyes widening. “Why is there a merman in my cave?” You put your hands on your hips.
“I-I’m sorry.” He looked you over, “I was just trying to escape this girl with red hair.”
You snickered, “It’s probably Ariel. She has no shame.”
“And who are you?” His eyebrow twitched.
You laughed, sounding deeply maniacal, “You enter my home, and demand to know who I am?”
“You’re right, I apologize.” Bucky cleared his throat, “I’m sorry it’s just been a- weird day.”
You sensed something, and went and circled him, your lips curling, “How interesting! You’re- human?”
He looked shocked, “How- How did you know?!”
“Honey, I’m what you would call- a witch. Sea witch to be specific.” You tsked, “You’ve been naughty and signed something, haven’t you?”
He gasped a little, “The contract?” He paused, running his hand through his hair. “Is all of this real?! That girl? And you’re real?”
“I assure you, I am real.” You laughed again, touching your necklace. “I’m Y/N. Y/N Ursula.”
“I’m Pr- Bucky. Just Bucky.”
Your eyebrow twitched, “Well, just Bucky. Ariel’s probably gone,” You smiled to him, “Now leave.”
“Leave? Wait, help me!”
“Why should I help you?! Isn’t this what you wanted, anyways?” You smirked.
He nodded, “I just. I have to find out why…”
You sighed, “Strays coming in all the time. Wanting my help.”
“Who else needs your help?” Bucky asked.
“Are you kidding?” You turned, “Oh, right. You’re human. ‘King’ Triton stole the trident from the last king, bringing him and his runts into the palace. Except he is horrendous. He is cruel, attacking anyone who doesn’t give him or his daughters everything they want.”
“That seems unfair.”
“Right.” You confirmed, “So,” You sighed, “The Sea Witch, me, is becoming a hot commodity. As someone who has explored a lot of the open sea, they ask me for nicer areas to try and hide out.” Your eyes flashed, getting a sense from Flotsam and Jetsam- your eels. “He’s on his way with a pissed off daughter in tow. Hide in the other room.” You looked to him, “Now!” You commanded. He did as he was told, before a stamping of trident happened at the edge of your cavern.
“King Triton?” You questioned, coming near the mouth. “What can I do for you?”
“Ursula.” He looked gloomy. “Have you been helping hide people away again?”
“What are you talking about?” Trying your best to look absolutely confused. It must have worked.
“If you see a man with dark hair and a reddish tail- turn him in. He is on the run from us.” He boomed.
“Oh,” You gasped, “How dreadful.” You pouted a little, stealing a glimpse of annoyed looking Ariel, “I hope everyone is alright.”
“For now.” He confirmed, turning to leave. “And Ursula, I’m watching you.”
“Yes, my king.” You closed your eyes, trying not to have a bite to your words. They left, and you had Flotsam and Jetsam follow them to make sure they were out of sight. “Too bad you look too good for poor little Ariel.” You entered the room, finding him looking through some of your potions- you surprised him, and he knocked one off the spot it fit into. “Careful!” You grabbed at it with a tentacle, as it floated upwards. “That’s helium. Kind of hard to get bottled down here.” You frowned, going to secure it back in it’s spot.
“I’m sorry. What is all of this stuff for?”
“I use it for some medications, wounds after dealing with Triton- and sometimes other things.” You didn’t feel the need to explain everything to him.
“I really appreciate the help.” He smiled to you, “Also, the fact you have working tentacles and pet eels is totally amazing.”
You felt a little rush, most of the people down here ignored you until they needed you. And even then, afterwards they were gone. None had complimented her.
“I hope that’s not a weird thing to say.” He scratched his head, “I don’t know if it’s common or anything.”
“It’s fine, human.” You answered, turning so he couldn’t see you smirk. “So- how can I help you?”
-----
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Chapter 6—Legal Responsibilities and Recourse
Because many parents who abuse substances also neglect or abuse their children, it is common for clients in substance abuse treatment to have contact with some part of the child protective services (CPS) system. While the organizational roles and titles will vary, a CPS agency is the part of a State's child welfare system responsible for investigating and processing child abuse and neglect cases. For convenience, the term "CPS agencies" is used in this chapter to refer to all aspects of social services related to child welfare. For more on the role of CPS agencies, see Chapter 5.Some substance-abusing parents will be drawn into the CPS system during treatment; others will be compelled into substance abuse treatment by a CPS agency. In either case, it is critical that treatment providers become familiar with the laws governing the child protective system, including How child abuse and neglect are defined Whether, when, and how a counselor must report a parent or other primary caretaker--or a parent who was maltreated in childhood--to a CPS agency or police What happens after a report is made How State-mandated family preservation services operate How welfare reform will affect clients in treatment There are a number of Federal and State laws designed to protect the health and safety of children: State criminal statutes outlawing certain acts State civil statutes prohibiting child abuse and neglect State mandatory reporting laws requiring certain categories of persons to report suspected child abuse or neglect State "family preservation" laws offering families certain services or requiring families to participate in substance abuse treatment or types of counseling State "fast track" adoption laws that limit the time a child may remain in foster care before the State brings proceedings to terminate parental rights and free the child for adoption Federal laws requiring States to adopt policies, goals, and time limits in the child welfare realm Complicating the picture are the Federal law and regulations governing confidentiality of information about clients in substance abuse treatment (42 U.S.C. §290dd-2; 42 Code of Federal Regulations [C.F.R.], Part 2), which restrict the circumstances under which programs can make disclosures about clients, as well as the information they can disclose. This chapter explains the legal requirements treatment providers must follow, discusses the difficulties and potential conflicts that may arise, and offers some guidelines to help minimize legal difficulties and clinical dilemmas. Go to: Mandated Reporting All States require designated groups of individuals to report incidents of known or suspected child abuse or neglect. Eighteen States, in fact, require all citizens to report suspected abuse or neglect; other State mandatory reporting statutes often include substance abuse treatment staff, particularly staff comprised of State-licensed therapists, nurses, and social workers. If a professional's failure to report results in injury to the child, he may face criminal charges or a civil suit for damages or suspension or revocation of his professional license. Those who are mandated reporters under State law generally are immune from liability for reports made in good faith that are later found unsubstantiated or erroneous. In some States, any person or agency that employs individuals who are mandated reporters must provide all employees with written information outlining the reporting requirements.An adult survivor of abuse, however, usually discusses events that took place many years before. In these situations, there is generally not a duty to report and often little legal recourse for the survivor. A counselor is generally under no obligation to report abuse or neglect that the client describes suffering as a child many years ago. CPS agencies are not interested in investigating cases in which no child is in
imminent danger. However, if the person who abused or neglected the client now has custody of other children, the program should seek advice about whether it has reporting responsibility. If a client consents, the program can report the situation even if it is not mandated to do so. The situation is more complicated if, while in treatment, a client has had to leave her children with a family member who is the same person who abused her as a child. She may fear for her children's safety but have no alternatives for child care and therefore may not even identify this person as the perpetrator. Mandatory Reporting ProceduresAll States specify how reports must be made. Most require an immediate oral (spoken) report, and many now have toll-free telephone numbers to facilitate reporting. Most States require that reports include The age and address of the child The address and name of the parent or caretaker The type of abuse or neglect, as specific and factual as possible The name of the perpetrator Most States require oral reports to be confirmed in writing and within a given time frame. State statutory reporting procedures are available on the Internet at http://www.calib.com/nccanch/services/statutes.html. Disclosing information in reporting child abuse or neglectSubstance abuse treatment providers should disclose only the information required by State law when they report child abuse or neglect. Counselors and other staff members in treatment agencies are permitted to comply with State mandatory reporting laws under a narrow exception in the Federal confidentiality regulations. Those regulations (which are discussed below and in Appendix B) generally prohibit substance abuse treatment agencies and their staff from disclosing client-identifying information to anyone without the client's written consent. The child abuse reporting exception applies only to initial reports of child abuse or neglect (42 C.F.R. §2.12 (c)(6)). Programs may not respond to followup requests for information or to subpoenas for additional information, even if the records are sought for use in civil or criminal proceedings resulting from the program's initial report. (See below for a discussion of how to deal with such requests.) That means that in making an initial report of suspected abuse to a CPS or other designated agency, the mandated reporter should provide only the basic information required by the State mandatory reporting law. The counselor may give her name and the name of the program, and if the law requires it, she must. No other information should be disclosed without the client's written consent.Please note that these guidelines are an explanation of current Federal and State laws regarding client confidentiality for substance abuse treatment programs. They are meant to help reduce legal complications that could interfere with a client's treatment--or a program's operation. They are not meant to imply or encourage an adversarial relationship with CPS agencies. Ongoing collaboration is important and allowed when appropriate consent forms are signed. With more than 50 percent of child protective cases involving substance abuse, CPS agencies are dependent on the expertise of the treatment agencies. Dealing with the legal requirements: Making the task easierAgencies providing substance abuse treatment should develop a protocol to handle legal requirements. For example, an agency may have a protocol that requires the counselor to discuss the case in question with a supervisor. If they decide the case is reportable, then the supervisor discusses it with the clinical director. If more information is sought, such as by subpoena, the director would contact a lawyer. Orientation for new staff members should include the agency's reporting policies and procedures. It is recommended that
these policies include provisions requiring staff members to inform their supervisor or appropriate program personnel whenever they make a report, as well as the need to consult with their supervisor whenever they have concerns regarding the need to report.Many substance abuse treatment agencies have found it useful to designate a capable member of the staff to Handle all requests for information from outside individuals or organizations when no proper consent form exists to authorize a release of information Keep current with developments in the area of child abuse and neglect, including court decisions that clarify what conditions are reportable and how reports should be made Develop and update a list of resources the agency can consult when difficult questions arise (e.g., there may be a member of the agency's governing board who is a lawyer who would be willing to provide advice in difficult cases) Develop a form to use in making reports so only specific, relevant information is given Be careful of letterheads, logos, and headings on fax machines that may inadvertently reveal that the treatment center is involved A list of other potential sources of assistance appears in Figure 6-1 . 📷 BoxFigure 6-1: Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect: Sources of Advice in Difficult Cases. Sources to be consulted only after reviewing confidentiality rules A clinical supervisor or a member of the treatment team Another peer The treatment program's legal (more...) Clinical concernsCounselors may be concerned that compliance with the mandatory reporting law will damage the client-counselor relationship or trigger relapse. A recent study shows that neither is likely to occur: Most clients stay in treatment after a report, and many are able to overcome the negative feelings that often result (Steinberg et al., 1997).There are ways to limit the potential damage to the therapeutic relationship. The first is to inform the client about the mandatory reporting law at the time of admission (Watson and Levine, 1989). This practice is actually required by the Federal confidentiality regulations. §2.22 of the regulations requires that substance abuse treatment programs give all clients a notice describing the confidentiality rules, as well as their exceptions (which include mandatory child abuse reporting), upon admission or as soon thereafter as possible. (The regulations contain a sample notice at §2.22(d) that may be used for this purpose.) This practice is also endorsed by the American Psychological Association and the Code of Ethics for Social Workers (Kalichman, 1993).A second way to limit damage is to provide the client an opportunity to self-report. Self-reporting "affords the individual an opportunity to assume responsibility for his or her own actions and allows for at least some control in what otherwise might be a powerless situation" (Kalichman, 1993, p. 126). If the client makes the report from the counselor's office, the counselor can provide appropriate support. Counselors should be aware, however, that although this might preserve the therapeutic relationship, it may not fulfill the counselor's statutorily imposed duty to make a report. Sometimes it is possible to minimize damage to the relationship by completing the report (both oral and written) in the client's presence.If there is imminent risk to a child, the counselor may not have time to engage the parent in the process. For example, if a counselor learns that the client has scalded his child and tied him to the bed, it would be appropriate to contact a CPS agency immediately. Similarly, if there is a risk that the client will continue his behavior and seek to cover his tracks, the counselor would probably not involve him in the report or inform him until after it has been
made.Although counselors may sometimes be tempted to use the threat of reports to coerce clients into complying with treatment requirements, counselors must remember that the purpose of the reporting laws is to protect children--not to provide counselors with a bargaining chip in the treatment process.Reporting may advance a client's recovery by providing an appropriate limit-setting example, increasing the parent's sense of responsibility for harmful behavior, and giving the family an opportunity to change. Parents may be relieved after a report has been made that external control has been introduced into a situation that frightens them as much as it does the children. Reporting may also open a dialog with the client concerning family relationships and any personal history of abuse, if one exists. Whether these positive results occur appears to depend on when the report is made (earlier in treatment is more likely to affect the relationship negatively), how much support the counselor offers when the report is made, and how well the counselor deals with the client's anxiety and anger (Melton et al., 1995).The National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect offers the following guidance:The law does not require mandated reporters to tell the parents that a report is being made; however, in the majority of cases, advising the client is therapeutically advisable. First, the therapist is employing clinical leverage by using authority to set a firm and necessary limit... Second, if the therapist does not mention the report, there is secrecy and tension, which may result in the clients' feelings of suspicion, isolation, or betrayal. In some cases, reporting may elicit an extreme response from the clients... It can be very beneficial to give clients the opportunity to make the reports themselves in the therapist's presence (Peterson and Urquiza, 1993, p. 13).Although the manner in which the counselor makes the report may affect the counselor-client relationship, the importance of that relationship must not override the counselor's responsibility to fulfill the statutorily imposed obligation to report when a report is necessary to protect a child. If a client has a history of violence, the counselor must also consider her own safety when deciding how much to include the client in the reporting process. Developing Reporting Policies and ProceduresFailure to comply with statutory reporting mandates or to limit the report as required by the Federal confidentiality regulations can place the individual counselor and the counseling agency at risk. Therefore, everyone in the agency who is required by law to report suspected abuse or neglect must clearly understand when and how a report must be made and what information must be reported.The best practice is to adopt a written policy or protocol before a case arises. Recently hired counselors should read or be given training on such policies. Reporting policies and procedures should include a reference to the State's legal requirements, including the definitions of child abuse and neglect, the categories of persons who must report, what information must be in the report, and how a report should be made and documented. Specifically, the Consensus Panel recommends that agency policy include A statement that the agency strictly adheres to the State's mandatory reporting laws The State's definition of abuse and neglect The State law delineating when reports must be made (e.g., when a counselor has "reasonable suspicion" or "reasonable belief") A list of the categories of persons who are mandated reporters An outline of the information that must be reported and a statement that no other information will be disclosed unless the client has consented in writing The name, address, and telephone number of the person or agency to whom the report must be made
(Generally, jurisdictions require persons who suspect child abuse or neglect to telephone a report to the local CPS agency or the department of human services and follow it with written confirmation.) A requirement that clients receive a notice, when they are admitted, summarizing the Federal confidentiality regulations and the child abuse reporting exception (§2.22(a)) (The Federal regulations contain a sample notice that may be used for this purpose; the Consensus Panel recommends that the client be required to acknowledge in writing receipt of the notice.) A requirement that staff members who are mandated reporters consult a supervisor or team leader before calling the CPS agency to report suspected child abuse or neglect unless the situation is an emergency (Some States require that the agency as well as the individual care provider make a report; moreover, consulting with a supervisor ensures that the wisest decision is made in this emotionally charged area, particularly in ambiguous or doubtful cases, and it will ensure that the agency is prepared to handle any legal issues that may subsequently arise.) A statement describing how the report must be documented in the agency's records (At a minimum, documentation should include the name of person and agency to whom a telephone call was made, the date and time of the call, the information provided, a copy of the written confirmation, and a notation of whether and when the parent was notified of the report.) Guidelines describing when and how the client will be notified, including a description of the circumstances under which a parent should not be notified because of danger to the child A procedure for review of all cases and of issues that arise after reporting (Routine review will ensure that any problems, whether of a procedural or therapeutic nature, will be addressed expeditiously.) A requirement that orientation for all new staff include the agency's reporting policies and procedures and a statement that the agency will provide ongoing training in this area Go to: State Laws Regarding Child Abuse and Neglect All 50 States and the District of Columbia have statutes that protect children from abuse and neglect by their parents or others. There are criminal statutes prohibiting certain acts (or failures to act), violation of which may lead to imprisonment. There are also civil statutes that prohibit abuse and neglect. If these statutes are violated, the court may impose requirements that parents accept certain kinds of help (such as substance abuse treatment, parenting classes, or anger management training), that their children be removed from the home, or that their parental rights be terminated.Most States define abuse as an act or failure to act that results in nonaccidental physical injury or sexual abuse of a child. Neglect generally includes the denial of adequate food, shelter, supervision, clothing, or medical care when such resources or services are available. As noted in Chapter 1, each State defines abuse and neglect differently, and the conditions considered to be neglect or abuse in one State may not be the same in others. Because State law often requires that treatment providers report suspected abuse and neglect, treatment staff should become familiar with their State's definitions of abuse and neglect. Staff can contact the State's CPS agency for information on current laws. (If the abuse occurred in another State, or if the perpetrator is currently living in another State, it is wise to check on the laws in the other State to ensure compliance. At times, there may be a need to report in both States.) Readers can also find State statutory child abuse and neglect definitions on the Internet at http://www.calib.com/nccanch/services/statutes.htm. Federal
definitions of these terms appear in the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, 42 U.S.C. §5106(g). In some cases, the CPS agency can be consulted regarding whether or not a report must be made in a particular situation without divulging confidential (i.e., identifying) information. Consultation with the CPS agency must be done with great care, and this communication can be noted in the client's chart.Although each State's laws are different, the following conditions are reportable in most States: The child has been seriously physically injured by a parent or other adult by other than accidental means. The child appears injured or ill to the point that a reasonable person would seek medical attention, but the parent has not sought medical attention, refuses to consider it, or fails to follow medical advice, putting the child at risk. An adult has sexually touched (or made the child sexually touch the adult), abused, or exploited the child. The child is not registered for or attending school, and the parent refuses to remedy the situation (home schooling must be adequately documented). Although the behaviors outlined above are the most blatant examples of child abuse or neglect, other parental behaviors or practices may put children at risk. For example, the following may also constitute child abuse or neglect: Leaving a young child alone and unsupervised Inappropriate punishment that puts a child at risk (e.g., locking a young child out of the house as a punishment) Depriving a young child of food for an extended period of time Treating one child, the "bad one," far more harshly than others Whether behaviors like these are reportable depends, in part, on how State statutes define abuse and neglect, the seriousness of the behavior or incident, its impact on the child, and the counselor's perception of the client's overall behavior with the child and of the client's willingness to correct inappropriate behavior.The difficulty for counselors is that substance abusers are often the products of poor parenting themselves and many have had little or no exposure to appropriate parenting behavior ( Whitfield, 1981). Without a reasonable model of nurturing behavior, they may simply deal with their children in the same inappropriate ways they were treated. They may have no intention of harming their children and no notion that they are putting their children at risk.Because of these complicating factors, the decision whether to report parents who treat their children inappropriately can be rather difficult. Clearly, inappropriate child-rearing practices cannot be ignored; they are important danger signals. Yet not every inappropriate action a parent takes can--or should--be reported. On the other hand, counselors must keep in mind that they are required to report when they have a firm belief or a reasonable suspicion (the statutory definition will vary) that a child is abused or neglected (as that term is defined). Their responsibility is limited to making a report; it does not include conducting an investigation to determine whether the abuse or neglect actually occurred. That is the job of the CPS agency. There may also be timeframes within which reporting must occur, and sanctions for failure to report.If counselors are unsure of how to proceed or what is required in a murky or complex case, they should consult with a supervisor, a colleague in the treatment program, or others (see Figure 6-1 ). Of course, such consultation must be made without violating Federal confidentiality regulations. (See Appendix B for a further discussion of this issue.) As this chapter advises earlier in "Developing Reporting Policies and Procedures," programs should adopt written policies governing child abuse reporting and should require counselors to consult with supervisors before making a child abuse or neglect
report. Ongoing training and a thorough knowledge of community resources will help counselors determine what actions are most likely to benefit the child and whether reporting is required. Parental Substance Abuse as Child Abuse and NeglectThe differences in the ways States define child abuse and neglect are particularly striking in the area of parental substance abuse. In some States, parental substance abuse, by itself, may constitute child abuse or neglect. In others, something more must be shown. For example, in South Carolina, giving birth to a drug-exposed infant is a criminal offense; a conviction may send the mother to prison (State v. Whitner, 328 S.C. 1, 492; S.E. 2d 777 [1997], cert. denied, 118 S. Ct. 1857 [1998]). In other States, like New York, "[a] report which shows only a positive toxicology for a controlled substance [in the newborn] generally does not in and of itself prove that a child has been [neglected]" (Nassau County Department of Social Services v. Denise J., 87 N.Y. 2d 73, 661 N.E. 2d 138, 637 NYS 2d 666 [1995]).New York offers a particularly interesting approach to the question of parental substance abuse, as it distinguishes among three kinds: (1) those parents who misuse substances but not to the extent that they become intoxicated, unconscious, or their judgment is impaired; (2) those parents who misuse substances but are in treatment; and (3) those parents not in treatment who misuse substances to the extent that they become intoxicated, unconscious, or their judgment is impaired.In New York, a CPS agency that brings a neglect proceeding against a parent who uses substances must show, at a minimum, that the parent "repeatedly misuses a drug or drugs or alcoholic beverages, to the extent that it has or would ordinarily have the effect of producing a substantial state of stupor, unconsciousness, intoxication, hallucination, disorientation or incompetence, or a substantial impairment of judgment or a substantial manifestation of irrationality...." Substance abuse below that level is not prima facie evidence of neglect. When a parent is in treatment, the State may not use "such drug or alcoholic beverage misuse [as] prima facie evidence of neglect" even if it results in "a substantial state of stupor" (§1046(b)(iii) of the Family Court Act).Similarly, for a court to rule that a child is neglected because of the substance abuse of a parent who is not in treatment, the court need find only that the parent's substance abuse results in loss of self-control of his actions. On the other hand, if the parent is voluntarily and regularly participating in treatment, the court cannot make a ruling of neglect unless it finds (1) that the substance abuse results in the loss of self-control and (2) that there is sufficient evidence that the "child's physical, mental or emotional condition has been impaired or is in imminent danger of becoming impaired" (§1012(f) of the Family Court Act).The wide variation in the way States define child abuse and neglect makes it imperative that providers be familiar with their States' statutes. Substance-using pregnant womenMany States have employed both criminal and civil sanctions in an attempt to penalize pregnant women who use substances for the harm they may be causing the fetus. Since until recently no existing criminal statute directly addressed prenatal injury to the fetus by a substance-using mother, criminal prosecutors have used "State statutes related to child abuse and neglect, involuntary manslaughter, prohibitions on delivery or distribution of controlled substances to minor, and pure drug use" (Garrity-Rokous, 1994, p. 219). By 1991, at least 19 States and the District of Columbia charged women with felonies for substance use during pregnancy.Many courts have also disregarded sentencing guidelines and imprisoned
pregnant drug users for terms long enough to ensure their infants were born drug free (Garrity-Rokous, 1994). The South Carolina State Supreme Court was the first to rule that a viable fetus could be considered a "person" under child abuse laws. (In other States, however, courts have held that child endangerment laws do not apply to fetuses.) In South Carolina, district attorneys were directed to treat situations in which a pregnant woman is using drugs as subject to duty-to-report provisions, placing medical personnel and counselors in legal jeopardy if they failed to inform authorities of such a pregnancy. In a related trend, judges commonly remand substance-using pregnant women who are arrested for prostitution, drug peddling, or other crimes to residential treatment centers, which are ordinarily reserved for persons with severe substance dependence.Mothers who give birth to babies who are born harmed by or addicted to illegal substances may also face legal consequences. Child abuse and neglect laws have been passed in some States specifying that the birth of an infant who is addicted to an illegal substance constitutes a mandated reporting situation. A South Carolina woman was sentenced to a 5-year prison term for child neglect when her child was born with cocaine in his system. In a well-known 1989 Florida case, another woman was arrested and mandated into residential treatment for child abuse because of evidence of cocaine in the umbilical cord at birth. Because a fetus is not considered a "person" in Florida, the State prosecutor had to show that the woman "delivered drugs" to the baby in the brief period before the umbilical cord was cut (Garrity-Rokous, 1994). Eventually, the Florida Supreme Court overturned this conviction. Even so, there has been a movement in some States to define any maternal substance use during pregnancy as child abuse or neglect.Significant cultural and economic issues are associated with the way in which State reporting requirements are implemented. One landmark study showed that a woman who delivers a substance-dependent child is more likely to be reported if she is a woman of color (Chasnoff et al., 1990). It is worth noting that the same standards are not applied to women who use alcohol or smoke, even though the consequences may be equally--or even more--harmful for the baby. The long-term impact of fetal alcohol syndrome is far more clearly documented than that of fetal exposure to cocaine, for example. And according to at least one study, maternal alcohol abuse may be the most frequent environmental cause of mental retardation in the Western world (Ray and Ksir, 1996).If counselors are aware of these trends in their jurisdiction, they will be better able to discuss the possible legal consequences with pregnant women. At the same time, understanding the current mood in the country will allow the counselor to understand better the added stress felt by drug-abusing mothers. This pressure is a good topic to discuss with pregnant clients in substance abuse treatment. Counselors should be aware that the client's concern for her unborn child, and the self-esteem issues evoked by the situation, might help keep her in treatment--or lead to relapse. Go to: CPS Agency Investigation and Potential Outcomes Once a professional, relative, or neighbor has made a report about a child, the State or local CPS agency is supposed to take action and investigate the complaint. If the complaint is unfounded or unsubstantiated, it is dismissed, and there are no further consequences. If, on the other hand, an initial investigation substantiates the complaint, the CPS agency has a number of options: It may reach an agreement with the family (without filing any court action) regarding what changes are needed and what services will help the family
achieve those changes. It will then develop a service plan outlining the remedial steps the family has agreed to take and establishing a timetable for the family to complete those steps. A CPS agency can bring a neglect or abuse petition against the parent or guardian in a family or trial-level court. After a trial or fact-finding hearing, the court may take one of the following actions: Dismiss the petition (setting the parent free from further obligation) Issue an order requiring the parent to comply with all or part of the CPS agency's service plan, an order the court may review periodically to assess the parent's compliance (If the parent fails to comply with the court's order, the court may, after a hearing, either give the parent another chance or, if the case has been pending for some time, the parent has made little progress, or her behavior is particularly egregious, remove the child and begin proceedings to terminate parental rights.) Issue an order for the child's removal If the situation is life threatening, a CPS agency can remove the child (and any siblings) immediately and schedule a prompt court hearing at which the parent or guardian may contest the removal. If the court finds the removal unnecessary, the child may be returned, but the parent may still be required to comply with a service plan. A CPS agency can refer the case to criminal justice officials. The majority of child abuse or neglect reports will not result in full-fledged court cases. Of those that do result in court action, most are brought in a family court, where hearings are closed to the public and files are sealed. Only rarely will a report result in criminal charges against the parent.Whatever is reported to the CPS agency or whatever action that agency takes, if the parent contests the charges or objects to the CPS agency's proposals, she is entitled to a hearing and to be represented by an attorney. In this country, parents may not have their children permanently removed or their parental rights terminated or be punished or be required to go into substance abuse treatment without a court proceeding. (Of course, parents may find themselves coerced into agreeing to enter treatment to retain their children.) In cases where a child has been removed from a home against the parent's wishes, a hearing must be held within a specified time, or the child must be returned. The focus in any initial hearing will be placement of the child during a CPS agency investigation or during any trial. The Service PlanUnless the charges of child abuse or neglect are dismissed (or the parent is charged with a crime and incarcerated), at some point the CPS agency will meet with the client to assess his needs and develop a service plan.The plan should detail The steps the client must take and the terms and conditions he must meet to retain or regain custody of the children A timetable for accomplishment of each step, term, and condition A list of resources the CPS agency will make available to the family It is the CPS agency's obligation to make every effort to assist the client in retaining or regaining custody of his children. Clinical IssuesThe counselor's role can be critical for a client involved in a child abuse or neglect investigation or proceeding. Getting the client to sign a consent form allowing communication and joint service planning can be an important first step (see Appendix B). The counselor can help a client understand what is happening, help her stay focused on what needs to be accomplished, and provide support and encouragement. However, to offer the client sound assistance the counselor needs some basic information: Is this the first time the client has had a case with a CPS agency? What are the charges against the client (e.g., abuse, neglect)? What precisely is the client charged with doing or not
doing? Has a child ever been removed from the client's home? Does the client have a lawyer representing him? (The counselor should ask the client to sign a consent form permitting the counselor to communicate with the lawyer.) At what stage is the client's case? Has the client agreed to a service plan? Is he subject to a court order? What actions must the client take to comply with the service plan or court order? Is there a timetable? What are the likely outcomes of the proceeding and is termination of parental rights a possibility? What is the client's view of the CPS agency and of the entire situation? Although some might think the last question strange, soliciting the client's view of the CPS agency will help to maintain the counselor-client relationship as the investigation unfolds. Clients have often had negative experiences with CPS agencies or other social service agencies that have intervened in their lives, especially if cross-cultural issues are involved. If a counselor acts on the assumption that the client thinks a CPS agency is acting in her best interest, the counselor may well alienate the client and close the door on what could be an opportunity for developing a therapeutic alliance. In other words, if the counselor characterizes the CPS agency's intentions as beneficent and its intervention as beneficial, the client may well view the counselor as naive at best, and possibly part of the "enemy camp." It is best to begin a dialog with the client about the role of the CPS organization. Perhaps the safest approach is for the counselor to take the position that whether or not the CPS agency's intentions are benign or its intervention is welcome, it is a force with which the client must deal.It is important, however, for the counselor to help the client move past denial, hurt, and anger into a working relationship with the CPS agency. She should not align or overidentify with the client against the CPS agency. The counselor should make it clear that his major role in this situation will be to work with the client to ensure that the client understands and complies with the CPS agency's or the court's requirements regarding substance abuse treatment. To this end, the counselor should obtain a copy of the service plan and review it with the client. The terms and requirements of the service plan can often be integrated effectively into counseling objectives.In fact, the CPS system may have information for the treatment provider on the client's substance abuse history and other relevant clinical information. Collateral information from CPS agencies on substance abuse evaluations can be invaluable in raising the quality of the evaluation, providing accurate information, and making better treatment decisions. (For guidelines on maintaining client confidentiality and the legal requirements involved, please see Appendix B.) Frequently clients do not understand the severity of their situation and may minimize or withhold information. This may be due to drug-related cognitive impairments, low IQ, naivete regarding the legal system, or the same denial and rationalization that sustained their addictions.Service plans may include a comprehensive treatment plan involving several agencies. Some communities have established multiagency teams to coordinate support for families in crisis. In West Hawaii, for example, a multidisciplinary team is formed to assist the CPS agency worker in high-risk or complex cases, such as severe abuse that results in hospitalization. Members of the team represent the disciplines of medicine, nursing, psychology, and social work. Because more than half of reported child abuse and neglect cases involve substance abuse, a substance abuse treatment professional has recently been added to the team. The team helps the CPS agency worker assess the extent to
which further harm is likely to befall the child, gauge the family's motivation and capacity for change, and weigh the advisability of various options for protecting the child. Team members review available documentation (such as case histories, school reports, and medical records) in addition to contributing their own knowledge of the family in question, providing a wide range of additional support on an as-needed basis. Pediatricians assess the medical needs and perform comprehensive abuse, neglect, and sexual abuse exams. Consultants also provide expert witness testimony for the family court.The team approach can be extremely helpful to a client or family involved in the child protective process. The team can coordinate services so that requirements, appointments, and obligations do not overwhelm the client and can reduce the number of conflicting demands the client must meet. A team approach can be very helpful in obtaining a more complete picture of the client and the severity of the problem. A client often presents differently to various practitioners and may share different information depending on the practitioner's area of expertise and nature of the relationship with the client. The difficulty for a treatment provider is that before information may be shared with other agencies, the client must sign a consent form permitting the program to communicate freely with specified agencies. (In parallel fashion, the client must have signed a consent form allowing the other agency to communicate with the substance abuse treatment provider. Some counselors address this by having the client sign the two consent forms necessary for two-way communication and sending a copy of the appropriate version to the other agency.) The other agencies must also understand that they are prohibited by Federal regulations from redisclosing any information they receive from the counselor (see Appendix B). Communicating With CPS Agencies and Others After the Initial ReportAlcohol and drug counselors working with parents during CPS agency investigations or court proceedings may find that the CPS agency and others view them as a good source of information. It is important to keep two things in mind. First, substance abuse treatment programs and the child welfare system (including both the courts and the CPS agency) have different concerns, goals, and measures of success. Once the counselor has made the initial report, her concern must turn to the client's progress toward recovery. While the child protective system is also concerned with the client's recovery, its focus is on the child's safety and stability. These differences in primary focus mean that while the alcohol and drug counselor can help the client achieve recovery (and thereby successfully end the involvement of the CPS agency), she cannot change either the client or the situation. Sometimes, the treatment system's interest in the client's recovery conflicts with the CPS agency's interest in protection of and permanency planning for the child. For example, the counselor's goal of having the client reduce his substance abuse (and allowing sufficient time for that to happen) may conflict with the CPS agency's goal of finding a permanent placement for a child who has been in foster care for many months.Counselors must keep in mind that they may communicate with or respond to requests for information only when the proposed communication conforms to one of the Federal regulations' narrow exceptions permitting a disclosure. If a counselor fails to abide by Federal confidentiality rules, an unpleasant and expensive lawsuit may be brought against the program and possibly the counselor. Moreover, if word spreads that the program fails to protect information about its clients, it may have a difficult time in retaining its clients' confidence
and in attracting new clients into its treatment services (as well as the possibility of professional sanctions and relicensing difficulties).The following discussion about communicating with parts of the child welfare and legal systems relies heavily on four exceptions to the Federal regulations that permit disclosures: Proper written consent from the client (§2.31) Proper written criminal justice system consent from the client (§2.35) Court orders (§§2.64-2.66) Qualified service organization agreements (§§2.11, 2.129(c)4)) Appendix B contains a full discussion of the regulations, including these exceptions. Dealing With CPS Agencies, Courts, and Law EnforcementAll professionals who work in the field of substance abuse treatment are aware that their clients have serious problems that may involve procuring and using illicit drugs. Abuse of such illicit substances interferes with their lawful behavior and, when they are parents, interferes with responsible parenting (Magura and Laudet, 1996). Treatment providers, therefore, will often need to interact with the legal and child protective systems. The way in which counselors interact with these agencies will vary from case to case. The counselor may have to contact a CPS agency to report a client suspected of child abuse, or the legal system may contact the counselor for information about a client's participation in a treatment program. Whatever the nature of the interaction with CPS agencies or the legal system, counselors need to be aware of their legal responsibilities.The following subsections discuss how the counselor should deal with various agencies. In all of these circumstances, the Consensus Panel recommends that counselors (1) ask for their supervisor's guidance on what boundaries to keep, (2) consult their client, (3) use common sense, and (4) consult State law (or a lawyer familiar with State law). Communicating with a CPS agencyEven if a CPS agency has sent the program a Request for Information Release that the client has already signed, if the form does not comply with §2.31 of the Federal confidentiality regulations, the counselor may not release any information. (For a sample form that complies with the Federal regulations, see Appendix B.) Even if the form complies with the Federal requirements, the counselor should remember that a signed consent form does not require her to disclose any information. The counselor should still evaluate the appropriateness of the request in the context of its impact on the client's treatment.First, after getting the client's written consent to do so, the counselor should consult with the client's lawyer. (Some clients may not be aware that they have the right to an attorney when custody of their children is being questioned.) The counselor should ask the lawyer whether she has objections to the program's making a disclosure and whether she thinks it is in the client's interest for the program to disclose the requested information. The lawyer may be pleased to know that the Federal confidentiality regulations provide a way to limit the kind of information disclosed. If the lawyer has no objections, the counselor can simply have the client sign a valid consent form, making sure to limit the scope of the disclosure as appropriate (and as the regulations require). If the lawyer does have an objection, then it is best to let her take the lead.If the client has signed a proper consent form authorizing the counselor to communicate with the caseworker at the CPS agency, how much information should the counselor disclose and how active a role should he take? In some cases, disclosing information to the CPS agency or court will benefit the client. It may also help the client if the counselor participates in developing a service plan for the family. However, it is up to the client and the lawyer,
not the counselor, to determine whether communication or cooperation with a CPS agency will benefit the client. Therefore, it is essential that the counselor communicate with the client's attorney before taking it upon himself to communicate with a CPS agency.Counselors should avoid using a standard report form in communicating with a CPS agency, unless the form calls for a limited amount of relevant, objective data. Each case is different, and a one-size-fits-all approach may hurt the client. It is best to think through each case on its own terms--with the help of the client's lawyer and with appropriate supervision. Sometimes, however, CPS agencies only need to know whether the client is participating in treatment, what the program's expectations are, if the client's participation has been satisfactory, the extent of drug involvement, and whether the client has complied with specific directives the treatment provider may have made. Responding to lawyers' inquiriesIf a lawyer calls to find out about a client's treatment history or current treatment, unless the client has consented in writing to the counselor's communicating with the lawyer, the counselor must tell the lawyer, "I'm sorry. I can't respond to that question right now. Can I have your telephone number and call you back at another time?" This is because the Federal confidentiality regulations prohibit any other response without the client's written consent. The regulations view any response indicating that the person in question is the counselor's client as a disclosure that the person is in fact in substance abuse treatment. This applies even if the lawyer already knows that the client is in treatment.A firm but polite tone is best. If confronted by what could be characterized as "stonewalling," a lawyer may be tempted to subpoena the requested information and more. The counselor will not want to provoke the lawyer into taking action that will harm the client. Even if the counselor has the client's written consent to speak with the lawyer, she may find it helpful to consult with the client before having a conversation about him. The lawyer can be told, "I'm sure you understand that I am professionally obligated to speak with this person before I speak with you." It will be hard for any lawyer to disagree with this statement.The counselor should then speak with the client to ask whether the client knows what information the caller is seeking and whether the client wants her to disclose that or any other information. She should leave the conversation with a clear understanding of the client's instructions--whether she should disclose the information and, if so, how much and what kind. It may be that the lawyer is representing the client and the client wants the counselor to share all the information she has. On the other hand, the lawyer may represent the CPS agency, the prosecuting attorney, or some other party with whom the client is not anxious to share information. There is nothing wrong with refusing to answer a lawyer's questions.If the lawyer represents the client and the client asks the counselor to share all information, the counselor can speak freely with the lawyer once the client signs a proper consent form. However, if the counselor is answering the questions from a lawyer who does not represent the client (but the client has consented in writing to the disclosure of some information), the counselor should listen carefully to each question, choose her words with care, limit each answer to the question asked, and take care not to volunteer information not called for. If the lawyer asking for information represents the prosecuting attorney, the counselor should consult both the client and his lawyer, as well as the program's legal counsel before responding to any
questions. Responding to subpoenasSubpoenas come in two forms. One is an order requiring a person to testify, either at a deposition out of court or at a trial. The other--known as a subpoena duces tecum--requires a person to appear with the records listed in the subpoena. (Depending on the State, a subpoena can be signed by a judge or filled out by a lawyer and stamped by a court clerk.) Unfortunately, it can neither be ignored nor automatically obeyed.When a subpoena is received, the counselor should call the client about whom he is asked to testify or whose records are sought and ask what the subpoena is about. It may be that the subpoena has been issued by or on behalf of the client's lawyer, with her consent. However, it is equally possible that the subpoena has been issued by or on behalf of the CPS agency's lawyer (or the lawyer for another adverse party). If that is the case, the counselor's best option is to consult with the client's lawyer (if the client has signed a consent form) to find out whether the lawyer will object (i.e., ask the court to "quash" the subpoena) or whether the counselor should simply obtain the client's written consent to testify or turn over her records. An objection can be based on a number of grounds and can be raised by any party, as well as by the person whose treatment information is sought. Often, the counselor may assert the client's privilege for her.If the program has an attorney to represent it or an attorney who is willing to provide advice on issues like these, the counselor could seek his advice. As is detailed in Appendix B, the best way to handle this arrangement is for the program and the lawyer to sign a "Qualified Service Organization Agreement" (§§2.11, 2.12(c)(4)), which permits the program to communicate information to a person or agency that provides services to the program. Project Connect Coordinating CommitteeIn Rhode Island, the Project Connect Coordinating Committee meets monthly to explore and establish linkages between treatment agencies. Its members include representatives of the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF); the Department of Health, Division of Substance Abuse; substance abuse treatment providers; health care providers; staff from perinatal addiction programs funded by the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention; and staff for Project Connect. Among the project's accomplishments are the following: Holding a treatment provider fair to give DCYF a better grasp of treatment issues and options Preparing a resource directory to help DCYF workers make appropriate referrals Developing referral, intake, and reporting procedures to integrate and facilitate the work of substance abuse treatment providers and DCYF workers serving the same family Sponsoring a conference to work toward a common language Exchanging information through formal presentations on topics of mutual concern Advocating for the development and implementation of a managed care system Communicating with the courtSometimes, the court hearing a client's case will ask a treatment program to write a report about his progress in treatment. Or a client's lawyer may ask an agency to submit a letter to the court to support a disposition she is advocating. In any letter it submits, the agency should limit itself to reporting factual information, such as client attendance and urine toxicology screen results; it should not speculate on the future of the client or the client's family. Nor should it offer an opinion as to where the child should be placed. Of course, any information the agency releases in the form of a letter-report must be limited to the kind and amount of information the client agreed to have released when he signed the consent form. Moreover, the agency should consult with the client's attorney to ensure the
letter covers the areas of concern and will do no damage.What should a counselor do if the client is continuing to abuse the child, the counselor knows this, and the counselor is asked to submit a report? First, if a counselor believes that her client is continuing to abuse a child and that the child's life or health is in danger, the counselor can make another "initial" report to the CPS agency (even when no report has been requested).Second, if the client's lawyer has asked the counselor to write a report for the court and the counselor believes that the client is continuing to have difficulty meeting his parenting responsibilities (but that active abuse that would require another report is not present), the counselor can explain why she doesn't want to write a report, so long as the client has signed a consent form permitting the counselor to talk to the lawyer.Third, if the court has asked the program for a report, the counselor can state in the beginning of the report that it will be limited to factual matters related to the client's progress and compliance with substance abuse treatment. The only circumstance in which a counselor could voluntarily inform a court of his opinion that there was ongoing abuse would be when the client's signed consent form would permit this kind of communication.Finally, if the court insists on a report (or testimony) on the subject of the client's parenting and the client has not consented to such communications, the program must explain that in order for the counselor to report (or testify) on this issue, the court must issue an order under subpart E of the Federal regulations. Note that if the report or testimony will include "confidential communications" it can only be done if the disclosure Is necessary to protect against a threat to life or of serious bodily injury Is necessary to investigate or prosecute an extremely serious crime (including child abuse) Is in connection with a proceeding at which the client has already presented evidence concerning confidential communications (for example, "I told my counselor...") (§2.63) (see Appendix B) Responding to inquiries by law enforcementIf a client faces criminal child abuse or neglect charges, a police officer, detective, or probation officer may pay the counselor a visit. If any of these officials asks a counselor to disclose information about a client or her treatment records, the counselor should handle the matter in the same way he would handle it with a lawyer. The counselor should tell the officer, as he might a lawyer, "I can't tell you if I have a client with that name. I'll have to check my records." Of course, if the client was mandated into treatment in lieu of prosecution or incarceration and has signed a criminal justice system consent form authorizing communication with the mandating agency, program staff may be obligated to speak with someone from that agency. (See discussion in Appendix B.)If the officer's inquiry has come unexpectedly, the counselor should determine from the client whether she knows the subject of the officer's inquiry; whether she wants the counselor to disclose information and, if so, how much and what kind; and whether there are any particular areas the client would prefer she not discuss with the officer. Again, the counselor must obtain written consent from the client before he speaks with the officer. If the client has a criminal case pending against her, it is best to check with her lawyer, too. Maintaining Working Relationships With CPS Agencies and OthersWhile a treatment program and a CPS agency may have conflicts regarding certain clients' cases, the program needs to maintain a good working relationship with the CPS agency and other agencies involved in the child protection system. It is possible, outside the context of any
individual case, for treatment programs, CPS agencies, and others to work together to develop common approaches to improve family functioning, reduce substance use, and keep children safe. Many States have coordinating committees to exchange information among diverse agencies about goals and strategies to promote understanding of each agency's perspectives, needs, and legal constraints (see box above).Education and outreach by substance abuse treatment agencies is particularly important, because CPS agency workers and other individuals in the child protective system often View treatment agencies as lenient on substance abusers Have difficulty understanding or respecting the treatment process, particularly relapse Do not understand or accept the constraints imposed on treatment agencies by Federal confidentiality requirements Providing a forum for these misunderstandings to be resolved and for acceptance and respect to develop will benefit all concerned.The following are examples of the ways that treatment providers in some States and communities have engaged in education and outreach: Florida drug treatment providers educate State legislators, judges, and sheriffs through conferences and seminars. Events are locally organized and help create understanding and acceptance of the treatment process and the confidentiality requirements that affect the provider. In Vermont, the State funds seminars on family violence and substance abuse treatment options for judges and other members of the legal system. These seminars are also open to the public. Some communities hold regular brown bag lunches for probation officers and others in the legal system. These meetings are an opportunity for education on such issues as confidentiality or how to work through problems, such as discrepancies between what the court is mandating (e.g., enrollment in a residential treatment program) and what is available (e.g., only nonresidential programs). Every summer Texas holds an annual Institute on Alcohol and Drug Abuse 2-week event that usually has 1,500 attendees per week. Numerous private and nonprofit providers have booths to exhibit their services. Bookstores exhibit and sell literature on such subjects as substance abuse, health, mental health issues, marriages, relationships, cultures, and motivational stories. A "Best Practices Conference" is held in the winter with about 1,200 people in attendance. Trainings are provided throughout the year in various regions of the State to make attendance convenient and more cost-effective for the providers. The Community Youth Network in Grayslake, Illinois, provides training sessions to area law enforcement personnel and school personnel. They address both victim and perpetrator issues, which is unusual because many programs do not address perpetrator treatment. Community Advisory Boards are an effective method of interagency collaboration and networking. The integrated family treatment program in San Antonio, Texas, has an active Community Advisory Board with representatives from the CPS system, Criminal Justice System, District Attorney's office, Family Violence Unit, Health Department, battered women's shelters, and other support agencies. Monthly meetings are held to exchange ideas and programmatic information, develop advocacy for substance-using women within their respective agencies, and gain an understanding of how each local system works. In Connecticut, the Alcohol and Drug Policy Council created a Women and Children's Client-Based Model. The various State agencies have been meeting to discuss implementing the model. There are monthly meetings of Child Protective Services Substance Abuse Regional Resource Consultants (psychiatric social workers with substance abuse certification who are
internal consultants to the CPS agency) with the substance abuse case managers for women and children to go over cases and resources. Both systems fund services for the population. The CPS system funds Project SAFE (Substance Abuse Family Evaluation), which is a statewide system to screen and provide priority access for evaluation and outpatient substance abuse treatment for clients in the CPS system. Another project, Supportive Housing for Recovering Families, provides housing assistance for clients who have successfully completed residential treatment and are planning to reunify with their families. The Alcohol and Drug Policy Council also recommends cross-training between substance abuse treatment programs and CPS agencies. Some of the major issues are how to make treatment systems more family focused and how to break down the traditional barriers in funding and measures. In Louisiana, recovered survivors have become effective lobbyists within the State legislature. Their personal experiences are brought into legislative subcommittees to gain more stringent, effective laws on behalf of abused children. The Louisiana State legislature has an appointed official in the victim representative capacity whose primary qualification is being a recovered survivor of childhood victimization. Montgomery County, Maryland, has a task force to integrate adult treatment services within the social services of CPS agencies, welfare and housing, and the juvenile justice system, recognizing the shared interests and client base. The Child Welfare League of America has published a book called Responding to Alcohol and Other Drug Problems in Child Welfare that includes many references and resources (Young et al., 1998). More needs to be done, however. Many State legislatures still view substance abusers as criminals, not people who have a disease. With busy schedules and limited financial resources, law enforcement officials often prefer incarcerating individuals, where treatment is limited. (For more information on substance abuse treatment and criminal offenders, refer to TIP 30, Continuity of Offender Treatment for Substance Use Disorders From Institution to Community [CSAT, 1998b].)Education is a two-way street. Treatment programs may benefit from training provided by other agencies, including CPS agencies and law enforcement organizations. Civic organizations, such as the Rotary Club, often have a speaker's bureau that may recommend a local expert in a particular field who would speak pro bono. https://whateveryparentshouldknowaboutcps.blogspot.com/2020/07/chapter-6legal-responsibilities-and.html
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