Substance-Affected Infants: Additional Guidance Would Help States Better Implement Protections For Children, GAO 18-196

The report was released on February 8, 2018, by the Government Accountability Office (GAO). The GAO was asked to examine how states are implementing requirements of the federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) relating to substance-affected infants. Under CAPTA, states perform a range of prevention activities, including addressing the needs of infants born with prenatal drug exposure. However, under CAPTA, prenatal drug exposure does not necessarily constitute child maltreatment . . .