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Podcast: News For Reasonable People
Episode: #2,666 - Lockboxes for Addicted Households: A Flawed Solution to Protect Washingtonâs Children
Description: Washington Stateâs child welfare policies face sharp scrutiny as officials turn to lockboxes to prevent drug-related child deaths in households with addicted parents. Despite the alarming 114% rise in child fatalities and near-fatalities since 2019, the Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) insists that the lockboxesâa $100 state-funded harm reduction measureâare an essential tool. Critics argue that expecting drug-addicted parents to responsibly secure fentanyl and other substances overlooks the severity of addiction. Advocates stress that stronger intervention is required, as the âKeeping Families Together Actâ of 2021 has made it harder to remove children from dangerous homes. Fentanyl's catastrophic impact, co...