Substance Abuse and Parenting

If you have reason to believe your co-parent is abusing alcohol or drugs, there are several ways to address these concerns in your custody matter. If you have sufficient evidence of the abuse, the judge may grant a request to impose restrictions on the parent’s time. Restrictions may include random drug and alcohol testing through urinalysis or hair follicle test, or an order requiring the use of a portable breathalyzer (e.g., SoberLink or BACtrack).

In some cases, it may be necessary to involve an expert to investigate and expose substance abuse issues. The judge in your case may order one or both parties to complete a substance abuse evaluation; and depending on the complexity of the case and the issues involved, an evaluation may be done in conjunction with a more comprehensive investigation by a Child and Family Investigator (CFI) or Parental Responsibilities Evaluator (PRE).

Substance abuse issues, if present, should be specifically addressed in your parenting plan, including procedures for monitoring and steps to address violations to help ensure the safety of the children.