Pubdate: Tue, 09 Oct 2007 Source: Middletown Journal, The (OH) Copyright: 2007 Cox Newspapers, Inc. Contact: http://www.middletown.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2582 Author: Josh Sweigart Butler County Children Services COUNTY TO TEST FOR GIVING BIRTH WHILE ON ILLEGAL DRUGS New Policy Was Initiated After Letter From Middletown Regional Hospital Social Workers. HAMILTON - Butler County commissioners agreed Monday that Ohio does too little to ensure that children born to drug-addicted mothers are going home to a safe environment. They passed a resolution directing Butler County Children Services to conduct a full investigation of the home life of any mother with illegal drugs in her system at childbirth. State guidelines adopted in February call for an investigation only if drugs are found in the newborn's body, or if the child shows signs of withdrawal. "National and local statistics show that substance abuse is a contributing factor in three out of four cases of child abuse," said Commissioner Charles Furmon. "This is simply common sense if we want to protect children." The new policy was inspired by a letter from social workers Leslie Kurtz, Melissa Smith and Amy McKenna at Middletown Regional Hospital's Maternal Child Health Center. It expresses the frustration of doctors and social workers who have a hard time getting usable urine samples from newborns. Of at least eight mothers who tested positive for drug use at delivery since February, only two were referred to Children Services because they had open cases, according to the letter. As for the other six, "the health and well being of these infants is unknown to us," the letter stated. "It appears that the current ... process is not protecting the children of drug users and is putting them in potential danger of abuse and neglect," the letter concluded. Commissioners said a recently awarded $2.5 million federal grant will help implement the new rule through a program that helps treat drug-addicted parents and reunite them with their children. The county sent a copy of its resolution to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, recommending the local rule be adopted statewide. - --- MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart