Perceptions of child protective services among pregnant or recently pregnant, opioid-using women in substance abuse treatment

Pregnant, opioid-using women represent a challenge to healthcare providers attempting to engage them in prenatal and substance abuse services. Limited, primarily international research suggests that child welfare clients have mixed feelings about Child Protective Services (CPS) and that fear of CPS may present a barrier to care. Understanding how pregnant opioid-using women in substance abuse treatment perceive CPS may be useful in encouraging substance abuse treatment initiation. Participants were currently or recently (within past 12 months) pregnant women with current or recent (within past 12 months) abuse/dependence of pharmaceutical opioids at a drug treatment facility. Participants were recruited by treatment staff to participate in a comprehensive study across multiple domains. Data for this analysis were collected using semi-structured qualitative interviews. Transcribed data were thematically analyzed using in vivo and interpretive coding by three coders for purposes of inter-rater reliability. Following 2, two-hour meetings, consensus was reached on primary themes and sub-themes. Two major themes and several sub-themes were identified: 1) Participants' feelings and attitudes about CPS (positive and negative); 2) Interaction-based perceptions of CPS' function and performance. Participants' feelings toward CPS were often conditioned by their experiences with individual caseworkers. While many pregnant, opioid-using women identify legitimate, and even useful features of CPS, fear of CPS can be a barrier to care. Making substance abuse treatment accessible to this population requires recognition of their complex feelings toward CPS, and coordination among CPS case workers and substance abuse treatment providers.