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Increased national attention to substance use disorders among families involved
in the child welfare system has led to the creation of a National Center
on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare (NCSACW). The program is an initiative
of the Department of Health and Human Services and jointly funded by
the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA)
Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) and the Administration
on Children, Youth and Families (ACYF), Children's Bureau's Office
on Child Abuse and Neglect (OCAN).
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
SAMHSA is the Federal agency charged with improving the quality and availability of prevention, treatment, and rehabilitative services in order to reduce illness, death, disability, and cost to society resulting from substance abuse and mental illnesses.
Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT)
The Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), was created in October 1992 with a congressional mandate to expand the availability of effective treatment and recovery services for alcohol and drug problems.
CSAT supports a variety of activities aimed at fulfilling its mission:
To improve the lives of individuals and families affected by alcohol and drug abuse by ensuring access to clinically sound, cost-effective addiction treatment that reduces the health and social costs to our communities and the nation.
CSAT's initiatives and programs are based on research findings and
the general consensus of experts in the addiction field that, for
most individuals, treatment and recovery work best in a community-based,
coordinated system of comprehensive services. Because no single
treatment approach is effective for all persons, CSAT supports the
nation's effort to provide multiple treatment modalities, evaluate
treatment effectiveness, and use evaluation results to enhance treatment
and recovery approaches.
Administration on Children, Youth and Families
The Administration on Children, Youth and Families (ACYF) is the
primary agency within the Federal Government with the responsibility
for serving children and families. The ACYF administers national
programs for children and youth, provides information and other
assistance to parents, works with States and local communities to
develop services that support and strengthen family life, and seeks
joint ventures with the private sector. The concerns of ACYF extend
to all children from birth to adolescence, with a particular emphasis
on children with special needs.
Children's Bureau
Established in 1912, the Children's Bureau (CB) is the oldest federal
agency with legislative responsibility for children. Located within
the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services' Administration
for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and
Families, the Children's Bureau is responsible for assisting States
in the delivery of child welfare services - services designed to
protect children and strengthen families. The agency provides grants
to states, tribes and communities to operate a range of child welfare
services including child protective services, family preservation
and support, foster care, adoption, and independent living. In addition,
the agency makes major investments in staff training, technology,
and innovative programs.
Office on Child Abuse and Neglect
The Office on Child Abuse and Neglect (OCAN) was established within
the Children's Bureau to provide leadership in the field of child
maltreatment and in the prevention of abuse and neglect. OCAN is
the principal Federal coordination point for all activities related
to ensuring the safety of children at risk. While the primary responsibility
for responding to cases of child maltreatment rests with State and
local agencies, OCAN is the national focal point for child abuse
and neglect policy. The division oversees interagency collaborative
efforts, including inter- and intra-agency agreements; it also sponsors
national conferences and leads special initiatives related to child
abuse and neglect. OCAN supports prevention activities through the
Community-Based Grants for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect
and promotes improvements in the investigation and prosecution of
child abuse and neglect cases through the Children's Justice Act
(CJA).
Children and Family
Futures (CFF)
Staff of Children and Family Futures (CFF) are developing and implementing
the National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare under contact with
the Center on Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT). CFF is dedicated to improving
outcomes for children and families, particularly those affected by alcohol
and other drugs and those involved in the welfare and child welfare systems.
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