(THE BLAZE) – In an effort to reduce the stigma against parents suffering from addiction, Washington introduced a new policy this week that no longer requires hospitals to report all drug-exposed infants to Child Protective Services, the Seattle Times reported.
Nancy Gutierrez, a Department of Child, Youth and Families spokesperson, noted that if hospital staff feel the newborn is in “imminent risk of serious harm” due to substance abuse, they are still required to report their concerns to CPS.
She noted that the medical team’s decision to report should be based on the child’s safety and not the drug detected.
