Do depression and substance abuse contribute to family vulnerability?
Of the vulnerabilities that families face, two of the most devastating are substance abuse and depression. Both hurt relationships and the ability to work or learn, and – most important – make it very difficult to care for a child. One in four kids in low-income families lives with a parent displaying mental health symptoms. That’s more than double the portion in higher-income families. We know that substance abuse is a significant factor in about a third of all neglect and abuse cases. Recently, the production and distribution of methamphetamines has had really devastating consequences for families–not only on the health and well being of the parents, but on the children’s safety. Everyone, especially state and local policymakers, is really struggling to find ways to help families living with drug problems. Substance abuse and depression pose some of the most vexing challenges to policymakers. For one, the treatments are really expensive because intensive services are required. Probl
