Abstract
Children of substance abusing or dependent parents are suffering a tremendous hardship. According to the Office of Applied Studies, an estimated 6 million children live with a parent who abuses alcohol or other drugs. These children are being removed from their natural home environments at alarming rates. Of the 80% of the children within the child welfare system because of a substance abusing or substance dependent parent, an estimated 50% are reunified with their recovering parents and return home. However, the other children are loss in a costly child welfare system of uncertainty.
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