Drug Endangered Children

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2008 Kansas Alliance for DEC Conference Registration Now Open
The 2008 Kansas Alliance for Drug Endangered Children Conference will be held on Wednesday, September 10th, 2008 at the Hilton Wichita Airport in Wichita, KS. The conference will feature presentations by Jerry Moe, the National Director of Children's Programs at the Betty Ford Treatment Center, and Dr. Nicolas Taylor, Director of Taylor Behavioral Health. Also featured is a panel entitled "Journey Through the System" that includes an adoptive mother of drug endangered children, a mother in recovery from addiction and a woman who aged out of the foster care system. Download the conference flyer and registration materials.

The Kansas Methamphetamine Prevention Project is active in Drug Endangered Children (DEC) programs at the local, state and national level. With the help of partner agencies, KMPP formed the Kansas Alliance for Drug Endangered Children in 2003. The Kansas Alliance is made up of local, state and federal partners and meets quarterly to address DEC issues and provide oversight, training and technical assistance to county-level DEC programs in Kansas.

Kansas Alliance for Drug Endangered Children Vision
Rescue, defend, shelter and support Kansas children from drug endangered environments.

Kansas Alliance for Drug Endangered Children Mission
A statewide, multidisciplinary collaboration empowering communities in preventing, protecting and serving children in drug endangered environments by providing resources, education, leadership and support.

What is a Drug Endangered Children (DEC) Program?
A DEC program is a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach to addressing the needs of children found in homes where methamphetamine and other drugs are used and/or manufactured. DEC programs create response teams that include law enforcement, child protective services, prosecutors, medical personnel and other community agencies. A local DEC program develops strategies to intervene on the behalf of children affected by the drug use of their parents or other caregivers. Additionally, DEC programs in some communities create community response plans to address children born prenatally exposed to substances.

Why are DEC programs important?
Children living in meth labs and other drug environments are at great risk for physical, emotional and developmental harm. Additionally, a child living in a meth environment may experience severe neglect, physical and/or sexual abuse, as well as physical effects from exposure to the toxic chemicals used to manufacture methamphetamine. DEC programs help protect high-risk children from these devastating effects.

For more information please contact Cristi Cain, Coordinator of the Kansas Methamphetamine Prevention Project.