New rules should help children found in drug-infested environments move more efficiently through a legal and social welfare system that hasn’t always done a good job of protecting them.
The new rules should eliminate delays of several days between the time a child is found at a meth lab or other drug environment and given a physical examination, said Kathy Wells, medical director for Denver Health and Hospitals.
Children will now receive a medical checkup within hours and further examination within 72 hours, Wells said. “Time is always critical.”
Denver law enforcement and health and human service officials on Wednesday released specific guidelines for responding to cases involving drug-endangered children.
The rules have been added to existing child-abuse guidelines and will increase communication among police, health providers and social workers, said Denver District Attorney Mitch Morrissey.
Other states and cities are developing similar plans, but Denver is the largest city to develop such a collaborative effort, said Lori Moriarty, executive director of National Alliance for Drug Endangered Children.
Eventually, the most effective practices will be taken from individual plans across the nation and used throughout the country, Moriarty said. “We realize there is not going to be a cookie-cutter approach, there will be several protocols. Hopefully as we go it will just keep getting better.”
Under the new Denver rules, investigators who bring a child to medical personnel for evaluation must provide a history of the child’s drug exposure.
Children living in drug environments need to be screened for exposure before the drug is metabolized and cannot be detected.
Quick examination may also detect signs of abuse that could be missed if the checkup is delayed, Wells said.
The rules make it more likely these victims will be treated properly and charges filed against those who hurt them, Morrissey said.
Children in drug environments often are subjected to sexual and other abuse and neglect. “It is rarely a one-time event; it is a lifestyle. By intervening sooner, lives will be saved,” said Dave Fisher, Denver police division chief.
There are other dangers involved. Meth labs can blow up and the chemicals used to cook the drug are harmful.
Electrocution is a threat where marijuana is grown hydroponically, under lights connected to power outlets by lengths of wire.
Small children who crawl around the homes of chronic drug users are found with rat and roach bites, and punctures from discarded needles, Morrissey said.
“When you go into these environments, there is complete and utter chaos,” said Denver Detective Teri Chavez.
In the past, Moriarty said, drug suspects have been arrested without anyone asking if they had children, much less referring the kids to social services.
Without direct communication between law enforcement and Denver Health, children can be returned to dangerous homes even if police are aware that those homes aren’t safe.
Errors like that are less likely under the new rules. “This will make sure we all share information,” Moriarty said.
Tom McGhee: 303-954-1671 or tmcghee@denverpost.com
