Multiple Pieces of Meth Prevention Legislation Introduced in Congress; Representative Testifies Before House Subcommittee

A recent study by the Health and Human Services Department showed that more than 1.6 million children live in a home where at least one parent abuses illicit drugs, including methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin and prescription drugs. In an effort to address the challenges of children abandoned, neglected or abused by parents addicted to drugs, Congressman Dennis Cardoza (D-CA/18th) introduced H.R. 1199, the Drug Endangered Children (DEC) Act of 2007 in the House. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) introduced a similar bill in the Senate. In addition to these pieces of legislation, several other bills have been introduced in the Senate to address and prevent the problems associated with methamphetamine production and use. CADCA recently sent out an alert on these bills, which can be viewed at capwiz.com/cadca/home.

On May 22, the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security held a hearing on Congressman Cardoza’s Drug Endangered Children Act of 2007, during which he testified. The DEC Act of 2007 would make $20 million available in grants for drug endangered children in FY 2008 and FY 2009. The grants are designed to improve coordination among law enforcement, prosecutors, children protection services, social service agencies, and health care providers to help transition drug endangered children into safe residential environments.

Congressman Cardoza—a father of two children adopted through the foster care system— urged committee members to support the bill, noting the severe mental and physical toll that children face when their parents are addicted to meth.

“Meth is extremely dangerous for children not only because meth addicts are more likely to abuse and abandon their children, but also because meth-addicted parents often set up meth labs in their homes. In my district, children have been found at labs with burns from spilled ingredients from the methamphetamine production process,” he testifed.

According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, children are found at 20 percent of all meth lab seizures. Meth labs are filled with toxins, prone to fire and explosions, and can have lasting health effects on children exposed to their surroundings.

Children removed from meth labs then present unique challenges for local officials, as they require special attention and care to transition into stable residential environments. In a survey by the National Association of Counties, 69 percent of respondents from county social service agencies indicated the need for specialized training for their welfare system, to develop protocols to address the needs of children displaced by parental meth abuse.

Congressman Cardoza testified that parental meth use is by far among the most serious challenges in the foster care system. H.R. 1199 would ensure that drug endangered children receive the attention and care they need to transition into safe and healthy homes.

For additional information on any of the legislation to address methamphetamine, please contact David Kurosky at dkurosky@cadca.org.