{"id":413165,"date":"2024-09-19T14:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-09-19T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/?p=413165"},"modified":"-0001-11-30T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"-0001-11-29T14:00:00","slug":"DYS-30-infants-test-positive-for-meth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/DYS-30-infants-test-positive-for-meth\/","title":{"rendered":"DYS: 30 infants test positive for meth"},"content":{"rendered":"

About 30 infants have tested positive for methamphetamine in the current fiscal year, according to records from the Division of Youth Services.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne important thing to know is that just for this fiscal year, we have close to 30 infants\/newborns that tested positive for meth…that\u2019s on our case load so, we go all the way straight to the hospital and we entertain and respond to those cases,\u201d said DYS administrator Vivian T. Sablan during the third day of the CNMI Child Welfare onsite training yesterday at the Koblerville Youth Center.<\/p>\n

She said infants who tested positive for meth are a direct result of their mothers\u2019 use of the illegal drug.<\/p>\n

The National Institutes of Health said methamphetamine use has been linked to a higher chance for preterm delivery (delivery before 37 weeks of pregnancy), poor growth (babies born too small and\/or with a small head size), and low birth weight (weighing less than 5 lbs, 8 oz [2,500 grams] at birth).<\/p>\n

NIH added that some studies have suggested that methamphetamine use in pregnancy can increase the chance for high blood pressure, placental abruption (the placenta pulls away from the uterus), and for fetal death or infant death. Some studies also show an association between methamphetamine misuse and a higher chance of postpartum mood disorders. Pregnancy complications are more likely to happen when methamphetamine is used throughout the whole pregnancy or when taken at high doses.<\/p>\n

Due to this as well as a myriad of other reasons, Sablan said child safety is the top priority of DYS as the agency handles cases from 0-17 years of age, Sablan emphasized.<\/p>\n

For the CNMI Child Welfare onsite training, three trainers from the Center of State\u2014Brandy Hudson, Chanette Stewart, and Ellen Smith\u2014were flown in to Saipan to conduct the five-day training from Sept. 16 to 20.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s part of the technical assistance funding from the Center for States (Bureau of Child\u2019s Welfare) that costs about $25,000.<\/p>\n

The training includes understanding the process of intervening in child abuse cases, learning about conducting home investigations, changing the stigma around child protective services, emphasizing the role of children in protective services in families, and ensuring child safety.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat we are trying to do here is to make sure that our staff is also updated with the other trends in the child welfare system, and with that update, we kind of tweak it and tailor it to our own specific needs with the CNMI,\u201d said Sablan.<\/p>\n

According to Sablan, they have 471 cases in the CNMI as of July 26, 2024, which is higher than the 459 cases they had in 2023. The cases involve 1,191 children on Saipan, 46 on Tinian, and 42 on Rota.<\/p>\n

The cases include physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, physical neglect, educational neglect, emotional neglect, and domestic, and support services. The support services refer to referral for services, drug use, teen pregnancy, wellness check-ups, truancy, self-harm, suicide ideation, custody, SARC, runaway, assault, homelessness, and beyond control.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Child Welfare training focuses on Child Abuse registry, according to Mariah Barcinas, DYS acting supervisor for Child Protective Services.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the key focuses of this training is the Child Abuse registry, which we\u2019ve been working to develop to ensure the safety of children across the CNMI. This registry will help us track and monitor individuals involved in child abuse cases, making sure that no child is left unprotected. In addition to the registry, the training also emphasizes professional development for our entire team, with caseworkers from Saipan, Tinian, and Rota coming together. We\u2019re learning new ways to make better decisions in child welfare and improve how we engage with families, especially as the number of cases continues to rise,\u201d said Barcinas.<\/p>\n

Barcinas added that they are getting equipped with valuable insights on Adverse Childhood Experiences, vicarious trauma, and how they can build resilience within their team. She said that capacity-building is critical as they face the daily challenges of protecting children and supporting families.<\/p>\n

Sablan said after the training, they will reconvene and update their procedures and draft amendments for child-related laws that will focus on child neglect issues. Citing children have to be 18 to be left alone at home as example.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have to be 18 to be left alone at home, but there these complaints that you can drive at 16, you\u2019re alone in the car and you\u2019re going driving, but there\u2019s nothing against that. Or the kids at the bus stop waiting alone without parental supervision. So those are the things that we\u2019re kind of exploring and renewing,\u201d said Sablan.<\/p>\n

The training was attended by 25 DYS staff from Saipan, Tinian, and Rota, including an intern and parent advocate.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Department of Youth Services acting supervisor Mariah Barcinas, second from right, and Center of States trainer Brandy Hudson, left, in Day 3 of DYS\u2019 Child Welfare training yesterday at the Koblerville Youth Center.<\/p>\n

-RACQUEL FLOYD
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