United for Youth

Impact and Response

8.7 Million Children: nationwide have a parent with a substance use disorder 1
1.435 Million: children are living with a parent with opioid use disorder 2
240 Thousand: children had a parent die due to opioid overdose 3
325 Thousand: children have been removed from the home due to parental opioid use 4

Learn more about the impact and response to youth victims.

Age of Children Impacted

0–5 years
904,000
6–11 years
662,000
12–17 years
610,000 5

Opioid/Substance Use Exposure > Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and vulnerability to additional ACEs

Physical, emotional or sexual abuse
Physical or emotional neglect
Loss of or separation from parent
Exposure to violence 6

Learn more about the impact and response to youth victims.

Extended ACEs exposure can result in toxic stress that interferes with

a child's brain
development

their ability to manage / regulate stress response

Learn more about the impact and response to youth victims.

Toxic stress adversely impacts the child's ability to

sleep
pay attention
make decisions
learn
manage behavior
establish secure attachments

And potentially can result in

increased risky behaviors (smoking, alcohol/drug use)
poor academic achievement
increased likelihood of chronic disease

Learn more about the impact and response to youth victims.

Responding to Children and Youth

OVC funded 59 child/youth focused projects in 37 states beginning in 2018

Raising Awareness

Child – Youth Victimization
Disease of Addiction
Youth-Driven & Family-Focus
Culturally Responsive

Advancing Trauma-Informed Practice and Evidence-Based Services
Informed Policy Making
Active Cross-Sector Partnering
Data Informed Decision Making

Learn more about the impact and response to youth victims.

Best, Promising and Innovative Work Underway

Throughout the United States, children and their families are feeling the impact of substance use. About 1 in 8 children ages 17 or younger reside in a home where at least one parent has a substance use disorder.

Learn more about the work that helps put children and families back on the path forward.

Popular Resources

Emoji Drug Code Decoded

A reference guide parents and others about the use of emojis in conjunction with illegal drugs.

SPACECAT - Suicide Overdose and Adverse Chilhood Experiences Prevention Capacity Assessment Tool

The Suicide, Overdose, and Adverse Childhood Experiences Prevention Capacity Assessment Tool (SPACECAT) is designed for local, state, and territorial health agencies to better understand their capacity to address suicide, overdose, and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)

Five Things About School-Based Violence Prevention and Intervention Programs (NIJ)

Statement sheet highlighting school-based prevention and intervention programs.

View more popular resources

What's Happening?

Recovery Innovation Challenge: Discovering New Ideas to Advance Recovery (SAMHSA)

Wednesday, May 25, 2022

The goal of this challenge is to identify innovative practices developed by individuals, groups, and organizations or within state systems that advanced recovery in the decade since SAMHSA established its working definition of recovery. This challenge will allow participants to share details...

Operation Overdrive - DEA Overdose and Violence Reduction Enforcement Initiative

Wednesday, May 11, 2022

New DEA initiative to safeguard communities from drug-related harm.

May is National Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

Tuesday, May 10, 2022

May is National Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

View more happenings

What's working where you are?

Share with us your involvement with activities and projects in your community.

Get Involved

Getting involved improves prospects for the protections and promising futures children and youth deserve.

Our Partners and Other Supporters

For a list of all of our partners and supporters visit Our Supporters page.