Senator Rockefeller Introduces 'Keeping Families Safe Act'

Legislation Keeps Families Intact As Parents Enter Substance Abuse Treatment

June 22, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. -- Senator Jay Rockefeller today introduced the Keeping Families Safe Act – which allows families to stay together in residential family treatment programs when one parent or both enter substance abuse treatment.

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“The statistics are clear – parents are more likely to heal and families have a better chance of remaining intact when they stay together throughout the treatment process,” said Senator Rockefeller. “Keeping families together in a safe environment is immensely important, and it is essential that we maintain successful residential family treatment programs across the nation.”

Background

Rockefeller’s legislation offers financial support to promising residential family treatment programs by allowing children who are already in foster care to be placed with their parent in a safe treatment center environment, and bring their foster care payment with them as their placement is transferred.

A 2003 study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) found that 60 percent of mothers who participated in the Pregnant and Postpartum Women and Their Infants (PPWI) programs – designed to prevent substance abuse and promote healthy parenting – were completely clean and sober six months after their discharge from residential family treatment programs. The study also found that 88 percent of the children in this program were still with their mothers six months after the mother was discharged.

Currently, only 5 percent of all substance abuse treatment facilities are able to accommodate children. In an effort to increase this low percentage, Rockefeller’s legislation provides support to programs that keep families together.

Source: Senator Jay Rockefeller