Children of parents with substance abuse more likely to be placed in foster care
A newly released report from N.C. Child is reveals statistics on the state's opioid crisis and the growing number of children entering foster care.
Posted — UpdatedAccording to the report, which was released Wednesday, the opioid epidemic has devastated North Carolina families.
Statewide, parental substance misuse was a factor in 39 percent of foster care cases in 2016 and 2017. That's a 50 percent increase from nine years ago.
Children whose parents suffer from substance use disorder are more likely to be placed in foster care and are more likely to stay longer.
The report argues that health insurance costs put treatment out of reach for many struggling to overcome opioid addiction. .
N.C. Child is urging lawmakers to close the health insurance coverage gap for those who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to purchase private health insurance.
N.C. Child's research director, Whitney Tucker, admits closing the health insurance coverage gap won't end the opioid crisis, but said it's "a powerful strategy to help thousands of uninsured parents get the treatment."
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