The United States is facing an epidemic of manufacturing, trafficking and use of methamphetamine and other illegal inhalant drugs. While this epidemic has caught the attention of law enforcement and public health, the needs of the children living in the so-called "methamphetamine homes" have not yet been addressed. These children are endangered, not only from the chemicals involved, but also from parental abuse and/or neglect.

Communities are beginning to recognize the crucial need for inter-agency collaboration for addressing the myriad of consequences for children that are created by this epidemic. Spokane County, in the State of Washington, has created its own community response titled "the DEC Project", whose mission is to implement and evaluate a collaborative response among law enforcement, prosecutorial, medical and social service professionals to the needs of drug-endangered children.

This report presents the findings from the evaluation of the four years of the DEC Project, focusing specifically on the health status and well-being of the children involved. Overall, the subjects were found to be a highly traumatized, troubled, developmentally delayed group of very young children. Thus, this report concludes with recommendations for the future, to ensure that we protect the health and well-being of these vulnerable drug-endangered children.

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The United States is facing an epidemic of the use of methamphetamine drugs. Child welfare has not yet addressed the needs of the children living in so-called "meth homes." These children are endangered not only from the chemicals involved, but also from parental abuse and neglect. Communities are recognizing the need for interagency collaboration to address the consequences of this epidemic. Spokane, Washington, has created a Drug-Endangered Children Project, whose mission is to implement a collaborative response among law enforcement, prosecutorial, medical, and social service professionals to the needs of drug-endangered children. This article presents the findings from the evaluation of the first year of the project, including a baseline assessment of the needs of drug-endangered children and the extent of community-based collaboration acheived. This article makes recommendations for future community-based partnerships to improve the well-being of drug-endangered children.

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