{"id":32059,"date":"2023-10-19T15:32:15","date_gmt":"2023-10-19T15:32:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/caseyfamilyv2.wpengine.com\/infant-plans-of-safe-care\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T16:11:43","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T16:11:43","slug":"infant-plans-of-safe-care","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.casey.org\/es\/infant-plans-of-safe-care\/","title":{"rendered":"\u00bfC\u00f3mo pueden los Planes de Cuidado Seguro ayudar a los beb\u00e9s y las familias afectados por la exposici\u00f3n prenatal a sustancias?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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This brief was developed in partnership with\u00a0Children and Family Futures<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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In 2021, almost 50,000 children in the U.S. were referred to child protective services as infants with prenatal substance exposure,1<\/sup><\/a> and over a third of children who entered out-of-home care had parental alcohol or drug use as an identified reason for removal.2<\/sup><\/a> Although parental substance use and prenatal substance exposure often are cited as factors for children entering foster care, the presence of a substance use disorder alone never should be the determining factor on removal<\/strong>. Instead, decisions on family separation must be based on an assessment of how substance use disorder within a family is affecting child safety.<\/p>\n

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A Plan of Safe Care<\/strong> is designed to ensure the safety and well-being of an infant with prenatal substance exposure by addressing the health and substance use disorder treatment needs of both the infant and the affected family or caregiver. A Plan of Safe Care has been shown to reduce child safety risks related to substance use disorders within a family and therefore is an effective strategy for keeping families safely together and preventing the need for foster care.<\/p>\n

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For infants with prenatal substance exposure, Plans of Safe Care bring together affected families and various service providers \u2014 including maternal and infant healthcare, substance use disorder treatment, mental health treatment, early childhood, child welfare. This collaborative approach ensures a comprehensive response that prevents crisis-based reactions, ensures infant safety, promotes healthy child development, and strengthens family protective factors.3<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

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This brief describes key considerations, decision points, and jurisdictional examples for implementing Plans of Safe Care.<\/p>\n

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Plans of Safe Care<\/h2>\n \n \n \n

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Since 2003, there have been three significant changes in requirements about implementing Plans of Safe Care. There is great variation among states, both in terms of the implementation of their policy and procedures4<\/sup><\/a> and the rate of infants placed in out-of-home care due to substance use disorder-related issues.5<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

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The Keeping Children and Families Safe Act of 2003<\/strong> created new conditions, including the Plan of Safe Care, for states to receive grant allocations under the Child Abuse and Prevention Treatment Act (CAPTA)<\/strong>6<\/sup><\/a>,<\/sup>7<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0The legislation required states receiving a CAPTA grant to implement policies and protocols for the following:<\/p>\n