Iowa’s opioid epidemic and how it is affecting children is the subject of legislation making its way through the Iowa House and Senate. Child welfare experts say Iowa’s child protection laws needs to be updated to address the abuse of legal drugs. Currently, if a baby is born showing signs of exposure to an illegal drug that has to be reported. The policies now focus heavily on methamphetamine, its manufacture, distribution, and use. Janee Harvey at the Department of Human Services
says that approach is outdated.

“These policies are being reformatted and changed to really recognize that there is a very big opioid epidemic,” Harvey says. The bill expands to cover legal drugs including painkillers and alcohol. Harvey says if it’s reported families can get help. “We would be going in to basically knock on the door and assess the family to see what services they need and be creating a corresponding plan of safe care for the caregiver and the child,” Harvey.

The legislation is the work of a task force on drug-endangered kids and also requires notification if an infant shows signs of withdrawal from a legal drug such as painkillers or alcohol.

(Radio Iowa)