Plans of Safe Care
The following resources are designed to assist all community partners understand and implement the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA), specifically Plans of Safe Care (PoSCs).
Background of CARA
The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016, known as “CARA,” is the first major federal addiction legislation in 40 years. The intent of CARA is for states to establish innovative strategies for individuals challenged by substance misuse disorders and their families. As a result, the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) requires a Plan of Safe Care to be in place at the time of discharge from the hospital for infants impacted by parental and/or family substance misuse.
A Plan of Safe Care is an arrangement developed with the family and service providers which addresses the following:
- The infant’s immediate safety
- The infant’s safety and treatment needs
- The affected parent’s health and substance misuse treatment needs
- The treatment needs of all household members with routine caregiving responsibilities for the infant (for example, the father, grandparent, roommate, etc.)
You can find out about other work the National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare is doing.
County Resources and Tools
The implementation of Plans of Safe Care has been piloted between various counties that have been awarded a Community of Support grant. Your county may find the following examples from the counties below helpful as you choose to implement Plans of Safe Care in your communities.
Coshocton County
- Coshocton County Profile
- All Things Grow with Love
- ACES (Adverse Childhood Experiences)
- Coshocton County, Did you know. . .
- Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)
- Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS)
- Pregnant and Using? - Answering Common Questions
- Safe Sleeping for Your Infant
- What is a Plan of Safe Care?
Fairfield County
- Fairfield County Profile
- Fairfield County Family and Children First Council
- Family in Need of Services (FINS) Prenatal Services Community Handout
- Family in Need of Services (FINS) Referral Form
- Perinatal Cluster Release of Information Form
- PoSC (Write-in Version)
- PoSC Process Chart
- PoSC Resource Guide
- Prenatal Family Care Planning Guide
- QIC Site Profile
- Telelog (Printable)
Lucas County (Forthcoming)
Mahoning County (Forthcoming)
Seneca County (Forthcoming)
Trumbull County
Get Started with Plans of Safe Care
Provider Examples of Plans of Safe Care
Brigid's Path PoSC Document (Fillable)
Resources for Plans of Safe Care
- 2020 NCSACW Practice and Policy Academy: Improving Outcomes for Pregnant and Postpartum Women with Opioid Use Disorders and Their Infants, Families and Caregivers
- CARA PowerPoint for Medical and Community Providers (2022)
- Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Clinic
- Healthy Families: Resources for Building a Collaborative Family Support Plan Handbook (2022)
- How to Improve Health Outcomes for Infants Born with Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome (NOWS)
- Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome: A Guide for Families
- Plans of Safe Care Toolkit
- Pocket Guide for Providers Serving Expectant Mothers with Substance Use Disorders
- Presentation on CARA (Found on the middle of the page under the heading "Addiction & Child Welfare Resources")
- Quarterly Trainings: Community Pathways to Building Plans of Safe Care (2021-2022)
- Substance Misuse and Pregnancy: Important Information for Expectant Mothers
Technical Assistance Call Agendas and Notes
January 2023
Trainings
- Beyond the Checklist of Adverse Childhood Experiences
- Time: January 23, 2023 - 8:45 am - 11:00 am
- Fairfield County Plan of Safe Care Refresher
- Time: March 14, 2023 - 9:00 am - 11:30 am
Contact Us
If your agency and community partners are interested in scheduling a training on the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act/Plan of Safe Care, please contact the ODJFS Child Protective Services Unit at: Deanna.Herold@jfs.ohio.gov or Erin.Robey@jfs.ohio.gov (ODJFS offers this training both virtually or in person).