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- Federal Resources
Federal Resources
Children in Foster Care with Parents in Federal Prison: A Toolkit for Child Welfare Agencies, Federal Prisons, and Residential Reentry Centers
Roughly 10% of incarcerated mothers in state prison have a child in a foster home or other state care. Some estimates indicate that as many as 1 in 8 children who are subjects of reports of maltreatment and investigated by child welfare agencies have parents who were recently arrested. Though there is clearly overlap between the prison system and the child welfare system, it is often difficult for prison officials to know how to help incarcerated parents stay in touch with their children in foster care and work towards reunification. Similarly, it is difficult for child welfare agencies to know how to engage parents in prison. The purpose of this toolkit is to help facilitate communication and cooperation between child welfare agencies and federal prisons so that parents can stay engaged in their children's lives.
Children of Incarcerated Parents – Fact Sheet
According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, in 2007, an estimated 1.7 million children under the age of 18 had a parent in prison, an increase of almost 80 percent since 1991. The negative consequences for children with an incarcerated parent can be substantial, including financial instability, changes in family structure, shame, and social stigma. However, research also shows that supporting healthy and positive relationships between these vulnerable children, who are the innocent bystanders of adult decisions, and their families has the potential to mitigate negative outcomes.
An interagency group, that includes the Departments of Justice, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Education, and Agriculture as well as the Social Security Administration, has partnered with stakeholders both inside and outside of government to identify opportunities to support these children and their caregivers. This fact sheet describes the efforts of the interagency group.
Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse and Violence Prevention
The Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse & Violence Prevention is designed to help college and community leaders develop, implement, and evaluate programs and policies to reduce student problems related to alcohol and other drug use and interpersonal violence.
Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools
The Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools (OSDFS) administers, coordinates, and recommends policy for improving quality and excellence of programs and activities related to youth safety and drug prevention.
School Based Student Drug Testing Programs
This is a comprehensive site offering resources, publications, research findings, best practices, and guidance on policy design and development. The site is designed to meet the needs of a range of audiences, from students and parents interested in learning more about program goals to educators and administrators involved in program management. Random student drug testing is an effective prevention tool for discouraging drug use among a very vulnerable population. It can help identify substance users early, before a drug dependency begins, as well as students with a dependency so that they may be referred to appropriate treatment. Random testing also promotes a safer, healthier learning environment.
Tobacco Free College Campuses
This blog entry from the Department of Education discusses the Tobacco-Free College Campus Initiative, a public-private collaboration that encourages colleges and universities to adopt tobacco-free policies.
What are Districts' Written Policies Regarding Student Substance-Related Incidents?
A research brief, “What are Districts’ Written Policies Regarding Student Substance-Related Incidents?” presents the findings from a study commissioned by the Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences. The study examined substance-related policies for the 100 largest school districts in the country
Resource: Academic Performance, Retention, and Alcohol Use
This article (PDF, 3 pages) discusses the effect of alcohol on academic performance, retention, and college graduation. It also describes evidence-based strategies college and universities can use to address high-risk drinking and shares what some institutions are doing to prevent risky alcohol use and promote healthy decision making.