Foster Children from Homes of Drug-Addicted Parents on the Rise

Juvenile Court Judge Mark Murphy takes on cases every day where a child has to be removed from their family because of a serious drug abuse problem. The judge practices in Polk County, Georgia, and in the year 2017, about 88 children were removed from their parents’ homes and placed with a relative, foster family, etc. just in this area. As of December 2017, 13,516 children were in the Department of Family and Children’s Services’ custody in the state of Georgia.

“It’s primarily meth. From time to time we’ll see some prescription drug abuse and sometimes marijuana abuse. But it’s mainly still meth.”

Murphy also says that parents can get treatment in order to ensure they can have more frequent visitations with their children. But in these cases, parents still have to stay with the program in order to receive these rights.

“It’ll be similar in many ways to the drug court we have but without the threat of going to prison.”

Foster Care for Children of Addicts

This is a serious problem in the United States, and sadly, many children are having to be placed in foster care as a result of their parents’ drug abuse (Social Work in Public Health). This not only tears apart families, but it also can lead to children feeling displaced and unhappy. For this reason, and because addiction does have a genetic quality, many foster children do turn to drug abuse, especially in their teens.

More must be done to help foster children avoid the kind of trauma they are likely to experience after having lost a connection with their family members. The opportunity for parents to get treatment and then to have more frequent visitation rights could be extremely beneficial to everyone involved.

Methamphetamine Abuse in Georgia

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, Atlanta, Georgia saw an increase in methamphetamine indicators in 2013, as did other cities in the state. While the opioid crisis rages on in rural and urban areas in states like Georgia, many people might be missing the methamphetamine crisis, which is still serious.

The signs by which you can recognize a methamphetamine abuser are

• Jerky movements
• Increased breathing rate, heart rate, body temperature
• No appetite, malnourished, weight loss
• Dilated pupils
• Insomnia
• Sweating
• Paranoia
• Headache
• Bad breath, dry mouth, uncontrollable clenching of the jaw, tooth decay
• Tremors
• Nausea, vomiting
• Anxiety, hallucinations, mood swings, violent behavior
• Skin problems, infections, sores
• Participation in increasingly risky behavior
• Participation in repetitive tasks

People who have been on methamphetamine for several days straight will also have very rapid eye movements and have a strange quiver to their voice. This behavior is called tweaking, and some people might stay on the drug for a week or two at a time, trying to avoid a decrease in their high.

Getting Help for Meth Addiction

If you need meth addiction treatment or someone you love is struggling with this or another dangerous drug, you should seek professional help. Call 800-996-6135(Who Answers?) to speak with a treatment advisor. We will connect you with local facilities that offer detox and rehab treatment.