My dad was addicted to crack. That doesn’t mean our family needed to be broken up | Opinion
Does having a substance use disorder automatically disqualify you from being a good parent? Whether it is a struggle with alcohol, marijuana, narcotics or opioids, many families navigate the responsibilities of parenthood and the burden of substance use disorder at the same time.
While it is natural to think that a parent who has a substance abuse disorder means they are neglectful or treat their children poorly, it is not accurate. Yes, parental substance abuse can create an environment where abuse and neglect do happen, but it does not mean every parent with this type of issue will act in that manner. Many families struggling with substance use still provide for their children in meaningful ways and do not lack in love for their children. These are often families we care deeply for who even present as put-together and “normal.” At least this was my experience, as a regular high school student with a parent who actively struggled with addiction. Picture this: My father who worked full-time to provide for us and continued to show us love, was also actively seeking to fulfill his crack cocaine addiction.
To further the visual, imagine now that social service agencies are aware of a parent’s substance use. Is it fair to abruptly remove children from this family, even though their socio-emotional and physiological needs are being met? Or to uproot them from the safety of their home and daily routine in favor of placing them with a stranger? Previous policy would say yes, but now we know that removing children from their homes can cause more emotional and psychological damage than many of the situations they are in. Of course, it is essential in any case to ensure the safety of the child, providing they are not in imminent danger.
Thankfully, the value of keeping families together was highlighted in the 2018 federal Family First Prevention Services Act, and has created opportunities that now address the need for care and intervention for substance use disorders, too. These programs are designed to support individuals with substance use disorders and their families through counseling, therapy and rehabilitation.
But what happens after sobriety is achieved, treatment ends and the family is reunited? We hope the family remains healthy. However, the truth of addiction is that relapse is a normal part of recovery. While treatment programs are designed to help achieve sobriety, they are not substantial in providing long-term support after sobriety. Seeing that relapse is common, and that the goal of the Family First Prevention Services Act is to keep families together, there must be continued follow-up to engage families of substance abuse disorder. A long-term care plan for families can help reduce the rates of relapse, creating a safe environment for children and parents to continue the healing process together. Each family dynamic is different, but the characteristics of substance use and relapse are similar in most addiction cases, including the risk of relapse.
After seeking treatment, becoming sober and earning back most of the money spent on drugs, my father still relapsed. Having a substance use disorder does not mean he was a bad person. He remains very active in caring for our family, even through his struggle with addiction. He is still sober to this day and continues to provide for us. However, had this follow-up program been available, I know we would have been equipped with the proper tools and understanding to provide necessary and immediate intervention for him to avoid another drug stint. Having this necessary care in place can minimize the risks of future separations and keep families together.
Halyn Landeck is a bachelor’s of social work student at Fort Hays State University. She lives in Olathe.
