38,000 drug-endangered kids reported in Tennessee
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — State and local leaders are trying to help thousands of children who are forced to be around drugs. According to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, last year there were more than 38,000 allegations of drug-endangered children reported in Tennessee. The year before, the number was more than 42,000.
The National Alliance for Drug Endangered Children defines them as kids who are at risk of suffering physical or emotional harm as a result of legal and/or illegal drug use, possession, manufacturing, cultivation or distribution.
“A lot of times it’s not necessarily that maybe their family has ill intent, but the damage that that can do to that child,” said Cheatham County Drug Endangered Children Program Coordinator Kennedy Day. “We know that children thrive with consistency and routine, support, feeling cared about, protected. And a lot of times, that’s not what they get in those kinds of environments.”
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The 2024 Tennessee Alliance for Drug Endangered Children – Handle with Care Statewide Conference runs Wednesday through Friday. It’s at the Tennessee State Library and Archives at Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park. Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee and TBI Director David Rausch opened the conference at 9 a.m. Wednesday. Then at 4:15 p.m., there’s a rally on the lawn at the park.
“The theme that we went with this year, and the message is ‘Taking it out of their hands.’ Because it’s not their job, it’s not their place, and it’s just not right to really put something on someone so young. And even the older kids who feel that, ‘oh, I’m old enough for this,’ or ‘oh, I can handle this,’ you know, you shouldn’t have to,” said Day.
The DEC program in Cheatham County partners with their Juvenile Court and Probation services so children who receive substance use related charges can get help while serving court-issued community service hours.
“Yes, children are very resilient. A lot of times people don’t give them the credit that they’re very intelligent and they know a lot, even at a young age,” said Day. “So thinking, ‘Oh, they won’t remember that.’ That’s not true. And a lot of times trauma can resonate as something that they don’t remember, but it can still make them feel something deep, even if they don’t know where it stems from.”
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Day said the Cheatham County Community Enhancement Coalition also tries to help these children through programs like Camp Thrive.
“Being an advocate doesn’t mean you have to sign off your name to some type of contract and be so present. But just knowing that a small act can make a huge difference, like reporting something that you’ve seen,” said Day. “Just because maybe they’re not being abused, or physically harmed in their environment or their situation doesn’t mean that they’re not being neglected, or maybe doesn’t mean they’re not getting the attention that they so much need and deserve. Or maybe falling into those riskier behaviors.”
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, these children also are at risk of being forced to participate in illegal or sexual activity in exchange for drugs or money likely to be used to purchase drugs.
Tennessee’s two and a half day conference will include representatives from a wide range of agencies, coalitions, and organizations, to address the needs of the state’s children to prevent exposure to human trafficking and dangerous drugs.
Click here to learn more about drug endangered children and how to help.
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