According to the National Institute of Mental Health, substance use disorder (SUD) is a treatable mental disorder that affects a person’s brain and behavior, leading to their inability to control their use of substances like legal or illegal drugs, alcohol, or medications. Symptoms can be moderate to severe, with addiction being the most severe form of SUD. We, in the field of child welfare, work with parents and caregivers with these symptoms and those newborns and children who are affected by substance use.
A drug test involves testing a biological sample, such as urine or hair, for the presence of a legal or illegal drug. Drug tests, or screens, may be part of Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) investigations and case plans. Dr. Rebecca Hook will unpack these screenings in detail, including types of testing, protocols, how to interpret results, and common pitfalls.
Dr. Hook is DCFS’s first medical director, appointed by the agency in September 2023. In addition to providing information about drug screening, she will explain her role at DCFS.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
- Learn about types of drug screens involved in child abuse and neglect cases.
- Understand how to interpret drug screens and common pitfalls in interpretation.
SPEAKER:
Dr. Rebecca Hook, Louisiana DCFS-Director of Medical Services
The Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services appointed Dr. Rebecca Hook as the agency’s first Director of Medical Services in 2023. In her role she serves as an in-house clinical resource, monitors adherence to health guidelines, and assists the department with healthcare policy implementation. Dr. Hook has been serving children in Louisiana since 2015. Previously Dr. Hook provided pediatric emergency care at Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital. In 2020, she launched the S.A.F.E. Clinic with Our Lady of the Lake. The clinic partnered with the Baton Rouge Children’s Advocacy Center to provide medical services to pediatric survivors of sexual assault.
Dr. Hook earned her medical degree from Southern Illinois University School of Medicine in 2008. She completed her pediatric residency training at the University of Tennessee Memphis in 2011 and her pediatric emergency medicine fellowship training at UT Southwestern in Dallas, Texas in 2015. She has been a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics and Louisiana chapter of AAP. Rebecca is married to a Louisiana native, Christopher Racca. The couple shares two boys and a love for Louisiana football.