Pregnant people who take medications to assist their substance abuse recovery are often reported for child abuse and neglect under legal mandate. But in many hospitals, that’s changing.
Some hospitals are changing their response when babies are born exposed to drugs - Boston News, Weather, Sports whdh.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from whdh.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Three years after Colorado changed the law so that doctors no longer had to report newborns testing positive for drugs as possible child abuse victims, the number of families referred to child protective services is down, but hospitals are still learning how best to support mothers battling addiction.
In 2020, the legislature narrowed the definition of child abuse via drug exposure, so providers only need to report if the child suffered negative effects from drug use and their guardians might not be able to meet their basic needs.