Substance Use Disorder Is Not a Behavior in Child Welfare
Substance Use Disorder (SUD) is often misunderstood and treated as a willful behavior rather than a chronic, treatable medical condition. In child welfare and court systems, this misconception can drive decisions that unintentionally increase harm, prolong family separation, and undermine long-term safety outcomes for children. This session challenges common assumptions about SUD and reframes it through a clinical, trauma-informed, and evidence-based lens. Participants will explore how language, policy, and court practices shape family engagement, compliance expectations, and reunification trajectories. Drawing from real-world system experience, this presentation highlights practical shifts courts and multidisciplinary teams can make to improve accountability while promoting recovery-oriented responses. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of SUD, strategies to align practice with current science, and tools to support better outcomes for children and families.