Substance-Affected Families
Substance use disorders have a wide variety of symptoms, complications, and consequences that can affect the whole family. The most effective supporters learn to respect how little they might know of the challenges kids are facing at home.
In substance-affected families, children’s experience of stress, trauma, shame, loss, mistrust, and anger can rob them of childhood, hope, and belief in themselves. This can happen even in families that are also full of love and loyalty. And substances like fentanyl can kill loved ones who have no addictive disease but simply pick up a powerful dose thinking it will be safe.
This collection of resources provides an introduction to a few of the extra challenges that can arise when the loss of a loved one enters a family already weighed down by substances. These resources also provide hope and suggestions for safe and effective support.
Hand in Hand
Online course from Sesame Workshop for providers supporting children and families affected by addiction
Children of Addiction
A guide for educators from the National Association for Children of Addiction
Children's Program Kit
This curriculum from NACoA is designed to help kids affected by parental addiction
Explaining a Substance-Related Death
A tip sheet from the Eluna Network for supporters of children learning about and grieving a substance=related death,
Apoyo para Los Niños en Duelo por Muertes Relacionadas con Sustancias
Recursos para apoyar a los Niños en Duelo Tras Una Muerte, de la Alianza Nacional para el Luto Infantil
Grief in a Substance-Related Death
Tips from the National Alliance for Children's Grief for supporting children who are learning about or grieving a substance-related death,
Grieving a Substance-Related Death
Guide from the Dougy Center for supporting children/teens after a substance-related death
Grieving an Overdose
This resource from the Dougy Center offers "a Teen's Perspective" on his brother's heroin Overdose,"
Youth Grieving an Overdose Death
This is a community conversation on supporting youth, from the Eluna Network
Teens in Substance-Addicted Families
Eluna Network resources for supporting teens in families affected by addition
In Families Affected by Addiction
A guide for supporters of kids and members of substance-affected families, from the National Association for Children of Addiction
Como hablar con los Niños Sobre la Adiccion Familiar
Una guía de la Asociación Nacional para Niños con Adicciones
After the Overdose Death of a Family Member
Tips from Highmark Caring Place about supporting children after overdose death in the family
Starting the Conversation About a Substance-Related Death
Advice for caregivers from Highmark Caring Place on starting the conversation
How Did This Happen to Us?
Grief Talks Webinar from Highmark Caring Place on reconciling addiction and death through understanding