CNA 2022-25 vFINAL 09202022 MASTER COPY - Flipbook - Page 113
Children 0 – 5 and Their Families: Opioid Use
About 20% of survey respondents (N=31) answered the question about opioid use and its impact on
children 0 – 5 years old. The following sample of responses speaks to the heartbreak and trauma of
parental opioid misuse.
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Opioid use is very high, and families are being separated because of drug use and physical
abuse.
The impacts vary child by child. Some children you notice their self-care skills are greater as
they often have to rely on themselves or siblings. Some children are withdrawn and difficult to
make connections. Some children suffer mental health needs at a young age. Children from
these families are at greater risk for developmental delays.
It affects the whole family; it affects their learning and the parenting skills.
Increased usage (both in number and dosage); adults out of the household due to treatment or
incarceration; less supervision and increased risks [of exposure] to unsafe people and
substances
Children are neglected, developmentally delayed, have to take care of themselves, get left
alone.
Throughout the pandemic, I think drug use in general has increased. The impact opioid use has
on families with young children includes neglect, lack of supervision, children being born
addicted to opioids, and [lack of] a secure attachment& between caregiver and child.
There are more babies being born with addiction and being placed in different types of
homes, from foster homes to even grandparents that are not familiar with these babies9
needs. As they become infants, many are placed in daycare, and these providers are not
qualified to provide the care that these infants need.
Elementary School-age Children: Primary Mental Health Problems
For elementary school age children, 15 people responded and painted a somewhat different profile
than for the younger cohort, with anxiety moving to the top of the ranking, and with developmental issues
a close second. Each respondent chose an average of 1.3 responses. One member of a focus group
commented, =Elementary age children9s mental health need skyrocketed during the pandemic. The wait list
for services was 9-12 months. Children who entered school for the first time during the beginning of the
pandemic were the most affected. We need more local mental health providers specializing in children 18
and under, without barriers of insurance.=
Pro Action of Steuben and Yates, Inc. Community Needs Assessment 2022 – 2025
Page 113 of 162
