HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Neuspiel, D R Articles by Drucker, E Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Neuspiel, D R Articles by Drucker, E

Custody of cocaine-exposed newborns: determinants of discharge decisions.

D R Neuspiel, T M Zingman, V H Templeton, P DiStabile and E Drucker

Department of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY.

OBJECTIVES. Maternal cocaine use is a leading grounds for newborn foster placement. This study was initiated to investigate the factors that predict custody status of infants born to substance-abusing women. METHODS. A retrospective cohort design was used to study the correlates of discharge custody decisions for 99 consecutive infants testing positive for cocaine in a public hospital. RESULTS. The population was 49% Black, 40% Hispanic, and 11% other or unknown. Custody at discharge was to mothers (38%), other family members (25%), or agency foster care (36%). Placement outside the family was greater when mothers had prior child welfare records, in Blacks vs others, with no prenatal care, and when mothers were younger at their first delivery or older at the index birth. Denial of custody to the mother was higher with prior child welfare involvement, in Blacks, and when the mother did not live in her own home. Both models also controlled for parity, child sex, and birthweight. CONCLUSIONS. Earlier involvement with child welfare authorities, race, and other factors predict continued separation of mothers and children at newborn discharge, suggesting the need to reexamine current policies and practices.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. L. Doris, V. Meguid, M. Thomas, S. Blatt, and J. Eckenrode Prenatal cocaine exposure and child welfare outcomes. Child Maltreat, November 1, 2006; 11(4): 326 - 337. [Abstract] [PDF]

				J. R. MacMahon Perinatal Substance Abuse: The Impact of Reporting Infants to Child Protective Services Pediatrics, November 1, 1997; 100(5): e1 - e1. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]