POSITIVE POLICY REVERSAL

DHR makes wise decision on drug-positive newborn cases

Alabama Department of Human Resources leaders have responded to concerns
expressed by some judges handling juvenile court cases and altered a policy
change that would have treated newborns testing positive for drugs as less
serious cases.

The state agency changed its policy this fall and starting Nov. 1 would
have treated cases of drug-positive newborns as "prevention" cases, rather
than child abuse or neglect cases.

After discussions with judges from a number of counties, DHR decided
against that change and will continue to treat these cases as seriously as
it has in the past.

Social workers will be treating cases where newborns test positive for
drugs as automatic child abuse or neglect cases. It is a policy likely to
fit the way more reasonable people view this kind of case.

If a baby tests positive for drugs at birth, the child has been neglected
at least - by a mother who used drugs while pregnant without regard for her
child's health - or abused by a mother whose actions harmed her child.

There is no preventing here. The offense has already occurred.

Judges who hear troubled family cases felt lessening the oversight in cases
like this could be dangerous for vulnerable children, and their concerns
led in part to the creation of a DHR Judges Policy Council, which will work
with the agency on rules and other issues.

After hearing from judges, DHR leaders decided to change the policy to
continue closer monitoring of families which include babies born with drugs
in their systems.

DHR officials were right to reverse the policy and the judges who objected
were right to speak out against a change in policy that could have been
detrimental to the people DHR and family courts try to protect.