Drug-Addicted Baby Bill Signed Into Law In Oklahoma

A new bill to protect children was signed into law by Governor Fallin Wednesday. It creates a program that helps law enforcement recognize a child who has been neglected or abused by drug addicted parents.

The program was started in 1991 in California. It's been credited with helping kids get a fresh start after their parents get addicted to drugs.

04/24/2012 Related Story: Skiatook Mother Arrested After Baby Found With 'High Level' Of Meth

A Skiatook mother is in custody after her 8-month old baby was found with a high level of meth in her system.

"You have no idea until you see the pictures and you've seen what law enforcement's seen," Trisha DeLozier said. "You have no idea what these children are living."

Trisha DeLozier is a drug prevention specialist. She works to end drug abuse in Rogers County. An important focus for her are the kids of drug addicted parents.

"If those parents are doing drugs like that, you know those kids are neglected," DeLozier said. "They are not being fed properly. They are not being watched properly."

DeLozier is one of 62 people across the state who are part of a new program signed into law last week. It's called Drug Endangered Children.

She'll work to train law enforcement and first responders to identify a child whose parents are addicted to drugs.

The National Drug Endangered Children Advocacy Center says more than 3 million children are abused or neglected by their drug addicted parents every year in the United States.

Those children are as much as seven times more likely to become addicts. And 75 percent of the people in drug treatment programs were abused as children.

"They are more likely to be dropouts and teen mothers and have mental health issues late on in life," DeLozier said.

DeLozier hopes the new program will help put an end to the tragic story like the one out of Skiatook this week. She says the children of addicted parents need to be given a fighting chance.

"Not one child should die because a parent has a substance abuse problem," DeLozier said.

The new law goes into affect November 1, 2012. The Oklahoma chapter of the Drug Endangered Children will be meeting over the next several months to train everyone from law enforcement to social service workers.