Child Trauma and Opioid Use: Policy Implications

Children and adolescents exposed to the opioid crisis in their families may experience other related trauma, such as incarceration of a parent or sibling, witnessing the overdose or death of loved ones, separation from families, traumatic bereavement, stigma, interpersonal victimization, neglect, hunger, or poverty. Further, grandparents may take on the responsibility of caring for their grandchildren when parents cannot. In some instances, children cannot be placed with relatives because the relatives themselves are involved in substance use or already have several children in their care. Family circumstances must be carefully evaluated to determine if removal of the child is needed. In some instances, children are also at risk of becoming parentified. This resource includes a discussion of policy implications as well as recommendations for clinical interventions and training, prevention efforts.