WHEREAS, drug endangered children are youth who are subjected to illegal drugs or toxic chemicals in the home, infants exposed to illegal drugs; and/or children who suffer physical abuse and neglect because of their caretaker’s substance abuse; and

WHEREAS, since the mid-1980s, up to 1 million children born in the United States are estimated to have been exposed to cocaine in the womb (National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, 2003); and

WHEREAS, almost 14 percent of cocaine-exposed children had scores in the mental retardation range, nearly twice the 7.1 percent rate found in unexposed children and almost five times the rate (about 2.8 percent) expected in the general population (National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, 2003); and

WHEREAS, in 2000, 8,971 children were involved in methamphetamine lab-related incidents in the United States; in 2001, 13,270 children were involved; and in 2002, 15,353 children were involved (Office of National Drug Control Policy, 2003); and

WHEREAS, 3,300 children were found in 8,000 methamphetamine laboratories seized nationwide in 2003. In those laboratories, 48 children were burned or injured and one was killed when a methamphetamine laboratory exploded (New York Times, February 23, 2004); and

WHEREAS, in 2001 more than 6 million children lived with at least one parent who abused or was dependent on alcohol or an illicit drug during the past year (National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, 2003); and

WHEREAS, a study conducted by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University analyzed the effect of substance abuse on the nation's child welfare system and found that substance abusing parents affected three million children in 1997 and annually cost taxpayers over $10 billion; and

WHEREAS, the study also found that children of parents who are substance abusers were three times more likely to be abused and four times more likely to be neglected than children of sober parents; and

WHEREAS, the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) recognizes that the needs of a drug endangered child are best served with written policies encouraging the arrest of an individual for child endangerment where there is probable cause that an offense has been committed and coordinated with an appropriate investigation of the child' s welfare by child protective agencies; and

WHEREAS, despite the dangers that substance-abusing parents create for their children, no apparent coordinated plan exists in many states between various governmental departments and community agencies to respond to the impact that drug usage in the home has on the child; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, that the IACP strongly urges communities to form multi-disciplinary groups that include law enforcement officers, prosecutors, public health professionals, and social workers to address the welfare of children endangered by drugs. These coordinated Drug Endangered Children protection groups should develop standards and protocols, through memorandums of understanding; and be it

FURTHER RESOLVED, that Congress provide funding to the National Association for Drug Endangered Children for additional research and studies and to enhance the collection and management of data.