A LETTER TO JUDGES: WHO HEAR CASES INVOLVING CUSTODY OF AFRICAN AMERICAN CHILDREN OF PARENTS WITH SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS

I have had a long and rewarding career as a substance use disorders professional. Still, there is one day that haunts me and probably will for the remainder of my career. A lawyer asked me to serve as an expert witness on behalf of his client, who was facing the potential permanent loss of custody of her daughter in the court system. The lawyer went on to say, Although the hearing has not occurred yet, the judge has probably already decided the case, since she won't allow the daughter to testify about how much she loves her mom. 

The lawyer then handed me 1300 pages of social service progress notes on his client. These notes were so deficit based I knew that there was nothing written in these 1300 pages that would lead a judge to be empathetic to the birth mother’s cause. I conducted a strength-based interview with the mother, in prison. She was incarcerated for minor drug related offenses. I learned that she was an honor roll student and track star in high school. She enrolled in university following high school. At age 19 she fell in love with an older man. Through this relationship she was introduced to drugs. She started using to cope with feelings of abandonment when the relationship ended. He left shortly after their daughter was born. At the time I met with the mother she was arrested for, stealing goods from a store to buy drugs and food for one day. I immediately thought of the Lord’s Prayer, that says Give us this day our daily bread.

The day of the court appearance, the biological mother, who is African American showed up for court wearing a prison striped jump suit. Her hands and feet were shackled, and she was facing the possibility of total loss of custody of her daughter to White Foster parents. The only African Americans in the courtroom that day were me and the biological mother. This scene gave me images of slave auctions, where Africans were shackled, and their children were bought and sold.

During my testimony, the prosecutor asked me ‘yes’ or ‘no’ questions like, “Can stress lead to a relapse? Can parenting be stressful?”  I answered ‘yes’ to both questions. Each time I tried to elaborate on my responses, the prosecutor asked the judge to silence my responses to questions I had responded to. A complete story could never be told about parenting in recovery.

I was able to share information about addiction and recovery during my testimony. The judge stated, “Your testimony is illuminating.” Then she told the biological mother that she would lose permanent loss of custody of her daughter. To say the mother was distraught would be an understatement. I will remember the look on her face when she learned that she would be separated from her daughter forever. Below are my recommendations for judges. 

• Make sure the voice of children is heard in these proceedings.

• Change the format of the hearings. Child custody should not be manipulated by ‘yes’ or ‘no’ questions and answers. Whole stories need to be told.

• Study addiction as a chronic disease. While it is progressive like cancer, I have never heard of a cancer patient losing custody of their children when symptoms return.

• Be aware of your biases as a judge. Are there any racial or addictions biases which may impact your decisions in the court room?

• Never allow mothers facing a loss of their children show up to court shackled.

THE DEATH OF ACTOR MICHAEL K. WILLIAMS: IMPLICATIONS FOR HARM REDUCTION AND TRAUMA INFORMED CARE

On September 6, 2021, Emmy Award Nominated Actor Michael K. Williams died of a drug overdose which included a combination of, cocaine, heroin and fentanyl. Williams played the iconic role of Omar in the HBO series The Wire and Chalky White in the HBO Series Boardwalk Empire. When drug related deaths occur, substance use disorders counselors are able to examine these tragedies from our clinical lens and think about the implications of such tragedies for our future work. 

As a youth Michael K. Williams experienced abuse, neglect and depression. We now know that these co-occurring conditions lie at the core of addiction and almost always precede a substance use disorders. At seminars I often ask substance use disorders professionals to raise their hands if they are a trauma or co-occurring disorders specialist? Approximately 1% of participants raise their hand. In addition, many professionals in our field remain resistant, sometimes even hostile regarding the idea of harm reduction.

It is time for more substance use disorders counselors to become trauma specialists. According to Dr. Gabor Mate, trauma is at the core of addiction. The fact that over 50% of individuals with a substance use disorder also have a co-occurring disorder provides a strong rationale for us to become dual disorders specialists as well. With fentanyl being 50 times more potent than heroin, would Michael K. Williams still be alive if fentanyl strips were used as a harm reduction strategy? How many of your clients would stay alive long enough for the miracle of recovery to occur if harm reduction strategies were used?

Salute to Black Grandparents: the Guardians of Children of Substance Using Parents

The African proverb, "it takes a village to raise a child" is exemplified by African American Grandparents when their own adult children are unable to take care of their children due to addiction, incarceration (often related to addiction) or mental illness.

Studies indicated that when raised by grandparents, grandchildren often report feeling loved. In addition, African American Grandparents often introduce their grandchildren to family rituals (family dinners), cultural rituals, history, constant and predictable routines, the adult protective shield, spirituality and God. All of these have proven to be substance abuse prevention protective factors.

Grandparents raising their grandchildren often lose their own personal freedom and the opportunity to enjoy the golden years. Many are economically poor and raise grandchildren who have often experienced neglect, abandonment and maltreatment due to parental addiction, mental illness, incarceration or a combination. This can be quite stressful. Some grandparents are raising their adult children and grandchildren simultaneously.

We owe black grandparents! I owe black grandparents. My grandparents became my caretaker the year addiction and incarceration impacted both sides of my family. I was bitter because I was not living with my parents and took my bitterness out on my grandparents (youth often demonstrated their frustration where they feel safest and most loved). This was my junior year of high school. The angrier I acted, the more loving my grandmother became. She was a saint, a praying grandmother! That year I failed 2 classes and my 2.0 grade point average dropped to 1.5. I demanded, in a harsh tone, that my grandfather give me money to pay for summer school. He said to me, "I'm not giving you anything! If you want to destroy your life, I'm not going to pay for it!" My grandmother overheard the conversation and with tears in her eyes said, "Give him the money. I love him" I understand the research that says that children raised by their grandparents often report feeling loved. That event was the catalyst which propelled my life forward.

I try to honor my grandmother by being successful as I can be. Each time I go to the barbershop I give the barber an extra $15 to anonymously pay for the haircuts of grandsons raised by grandmothers. What are some little things you can do to support grandparents raising their grandchildren?