Dangerous dilemma: children and meth

By Cherry Sokoloski
North Forty News

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Last year, from March 1 until the end of December, 80 children were removed from their homes in Larimer County because of addiction to methamphetamines. The children weren't addicted, but their parents were, and the children's lives have been irrevocably changed as a result.

Most of these children go into the Larimer County foster care system, which is struggling to keep up with the wave of new children entering care because of meth abuse. In some cases the children are placed with relatives, but most times they have the terrifying experience of going to the homes of strangers. Sometimes the youngsters can eventually be returned home, when their parents are making a good effort to defeat their meth addictions. In other cases, the children wait in foster homes for families to adopt them.

These innocent victims of drug abuse are growing in number, along with the number of meth cases in Larimer County. In fiscal year 2002-2003, according to Lt. Craig Dodd of the Larimer County Drug Task Force, there were 327 meth arrests and prosecutions. The next year, that number ballooned to 558. The increase was due in part to better enforcement, Dodd said, but also to increased use of meth.

In the county's adult and youth drug courts, meth is now the drug of choice in 78 percent of cases. In 40 percent of the 2004 cases when children were removed from homes, meth was involved. As of 2004, it's a felony in Colorado to be involved in meth production when there's a child in the home.

Meth is causing lasting harm to children on two fronts, in the home and out. The children suffer neglect and abuse in the homes of their addicted parents, as well as health impacts when there's a lab involved. When they're removed from those homes, there's tremendous trauma and emotional damage.

"Kids are often exposed to violence between family members," Dodd said, "and they're neglected or left by themselves for long periods of time." When the children grow up in an environment of violence, abuse and neglect, Dodd noted, they often repeat the same behaviors when they become adults.

When adults are on meth, they can stay awake for four or five days straight, Dodd, said, then crash for the next two or three days. During that time, children go unfed, unwashed and unsupervised. They may not make it to school. In fact, a common way for authorities to become involved in these cases is a call from a neighbor, complaining that children are outside playing late at night or that they're not properly dressed for the weather. When child welfare authorities respond, they often find meth use as the underlying culprit.

Child abuse is another sad by-product of meth addiction. As the addiction progresses, users tend to become irritable and prone to violence. In 2004, 20 percent of meth cases involved the physical abuse of children, while in 5 percent of these cases, there was sexual abuse or exploitation of children.

"It's very apparent that we have a dismal problem on our hands," said Angela Mead, deputy division manager for the Larimer County Department of Human Services. For children, she said, the long-term effects of the meth explosion are devastating. Children removed from drug-endangered environments are likely to suffer from health complications, emotional trauma and behavioral and learning difficulties.

System overload

At the department of human services, meth children are overloading the foster care system. The problem is also challenging adoption resources, since families must be recruited to provide permanent homes for these children if they can't safely return home.

"It is putting a strain on an already maxed-out system," said Phyllis Stoner, foster care recruiter for the county. "What we're seeing is very young children, infants and toddlers. Most of them are removed because of neglect." It is especially disturbing to see young children in this situation, Stoner added, because children learn models of attachment and relationships during the first two years of life. A poor early attachment can interfere with all levels of development and with future relationships.

Tough addiction

Meth, which has many slang names such as crank, crystal, ice and speed, is an able adversary. A stimulant, it causes increased nervousness, irritability, paranoia and visual and auditory hallucinations. With longer use, meth addicts may develop permanent psychological problems or mental illnesses.

Sometimes called the "poor man's cocaine," meth is increasingly accessible and costs much less than cocaine or heroin. It can be made at home from relatively inexpensive and commonly available materials. Most meth in Larimer County has been brought in from Mexico, Mead said.

The drug is very addictive, sometimes hooking people after the first try. Parts of a user's life begin to deteriorate very quickly, and as the user's life falls apart, so does that of his or her children.

The biggest challenge in treating meth addicts, Mead said, is motivating them to be clean. Many need inpatient treatment, removed from their cultural environment, followed by intensive outpatient care. To stay clean, most need support groups like Narcotics Anonymous, plus monitored urine analyses. They may also need treatment for underlying mental health issues such as depression.

"It's important to take care of the motivating problems," Mead noted.

An added challenge to recovery is that many meth addicts have become estranged from family members because of their addictions, so their support systems are limited.

However, Mead has seen successful outcomes. "Some cases look bleak," she said, "but parents love their children enough that they turn their lives around. They become better parents, and the kids are able to have their family back." She said if parents are making diligent efforts to kick the meth habit, the county will work with them to reunite the family.

As to the overall problem of meth abuse in Larimer County and Colorado, Mead said, "We don't have the resources to handle it." The county needs more mental health resources, more drug and alcohol treatment options, more inpatient and outpatient services and more detox services, she said.

Mead and others are working to develop a more effective, coordinated system for helping meth addicts kick the habit. If they're successful, more adults can reclaim their lives from this dangerous drug. Then, the children can reclaim their families.

Becoming involved

Those wishing to become more involved in helping children affected by the meth epidemic have several options.