Child welfare: the unintended consequence of the War on Drugs

This panel will focus on the intersection of child welfare policy and drugs. From the crack cocaine epidemic of the 1980s to the current opioid crisis to growing acceptance of marijuana use, race and socioeconomic status have shaped reactions to drug use and the consequences for parents and their children. Can child welfare policy be fair and nuanced enough to respond with an appropriate level of urgency and support in situations that range from casual recreational use to debilitating addiction?

Moderated by Aarin Michelle Williams, Senior Staff Attorney at National Advocates for Pregnant Women (NAPW)

Panelists include:

• Dinah Ortiz, Parent Advocate Supervisor at The Bronx Defender Services
• Kassandra Frederique, New York State Director at the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA)
• Emma Ketteringham, Managing Attorney of the Family Defense Practice at The Bronx Defender Services

Presented by the Center for New York City Affairs.