Destiny Pennewell

6703 Poplar St.

Stillwater, OK 74074

April 27, 2023

Carrie Slatton-Hodges
2000 N. Classen Blvd., Suite 2-600
Oklahoma City, OK 73106

Mrs. Slatton-Hodges,

I hope you are having a productive week. I am writing to you from a place of advocacy in hope
that you will leave this correspondence with a new sense of urgency regarding this issue.
As stated by Orlando Recovery Center on March 31st, 2023, there are approximately 11 million
children in the U.S. under the age of 18 that are children of alcoholics (Bockisch). Although this
does not take drug use into account, it is still an astronomical increase from 2017. In 2017, the
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reported 8.7 million children living
with a parent with a diagnosed substance abuse disorder. This increase in a mere six year
timespan displays the inarguable reality that our current approach to substance addiction is
ineffective. It is important to acknowledge the recurrent outcomes that the current approach to
the addiction crisis is having on families, such as increased risk of exposure to traumatic events,
increased risk of mental health issues in both the addicts and their children, and the potential
division of these families. With proper support and accessible community assistance programs,
addicts would have a better opportunity to overcome these vices and their children would have a
greater chance of ending the vicious cycle of addiction. I ask that you take this new information
into account as you work towards improving community programs for substance abuse and
related mental health resources.
https://youtube.com/clip/Ugkxh_n-rGDCUGuavHpfYX9AhgWXxeJG8Qny
[S2 E1: Dr. Claudia Black on the Family Dynamics of Addiction, Beyond Theory Podcast. February 25th, 2020. Dr.
Claudia Black is internationally recognized for her work regarding addiction and the affects it has on children. She
not only speaks from her education, but from personal experience as a woman who was raised in a home with
alcoholics. As a renowned speaker and author, children from similar backgrounds are able to see in Dr. Black that it
is possible to break the generational cycle.]

Substance abuse often leads to dysfunctional home environments that can expose children to
traumatic situations and place stress on their developmental processes. Many children of addicts
are potentially exposed to various forms of abuse, neglect, and poor living conditions that can
lead to malnutrition. According to Valley Behavioral Health, speech delays and cognitive
function issues can be seen as a direct result of the neglect young children are forced to face
when a parent has a substance addiction (Thatcher). The level of instability associated with
substance addiction not only leads to physical effects, but also long-term emotional effects felt
by both the user and their children.
Children are at increased risk for low self-esteem, self-worth, depression, anxiety, and self-harm
coping mechanisms. The lack of emotional support and regulation from parental figures causes
long-term feelings of distrust, along with an inability to express and cope with their emotions.
These feelings are also often extended to the user. Facing the stigma of substance addiction can
be an emotionally taxing endeavor for those who want to get sober. The feelings of unworthiness
and shame, further exacerbated by the public and government officials, can become isolating and
prevent addicts from ever seeking help. As the evidence suggests, substance abuse can have
devastating consequences on both the emotional and physical aspects of users and their families.
https://www.counselingcalifornia.com/portals/1/images/effects-of-parental-substance-abuse3.jpg
Effects of Parental Substance Abuse, California Counseling, 2023. Many children don’t understand the complexities
of addiction, and many believe it is in some way their fault. Regardless of the neglect, they seek the comfort of a
parental figure.

Unfortunately, the formal consequences of addiction can cause even deeper trauma to affected
families. According to Child Trends (2019), “In… 2017, the rate of children entering foster care
due to parental drug abuse rose for the sixth consecutive year to 131 per 100,000 children
nationally—a 5 percent increase from the previous fiscal year and a 53 percent increase since FY
2007. Of the 268,212 children under age 18 removed… 96,400 (36 percent) had parental drug
abuse listed as a reason for their removal (Sepulveda).” That is thousands of children separated
from their families each year, without even taking into account the children removed due to
alcohol related addictions. This leaves a permanent scar on entire families.
https://fherehab.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/addiction-and-foster-care-stats-on-affects.png
The Relationship Between Addiction and the Foster Care System, FHE Health, Chris Foy, October 8 th 2018. Not
only does the addiction epidemic hurt families that are affected and separated, but it also can put a strain on
institutions such as the foster care system. Children that are place in this system not only face dealing with the
trauma of being separated from their parents, but they now have to face more instability as they move from home to
home.

I grew up in a generational cycle of addiction. Alcoholism and drug addiction ran rampant
through my family and very nearly claimed me early on. I began drinking in middle school and
taking liquor shots with my family on the weekends, while simultaneously whispering the
mantra, “I will be different… I will be the change.” I can tell you from firsthand experience
living in that environment, people don’t choose to be addicts and they are certainly not the horrid
people the media tends to depict them as. They are people in despair, looking for a drug to numb
pain. They are people of religion, who have lost hope in humanity because society has failed and
left them behind. These people are products of their environments, driven to extremes by the
very institutions that shame them for their addictions. Their children then become addicts, and
their children’s children after them. In order to end this cycle of pain, the root issue needs to be
addressed. I implore our officials to take a closer look at the institutional resources in poor
communities that are in desperate need of a remodel. People are driven to these desperate coping
mechanisms because there is a need not being met.
https://www.marylandaddictionrecovery.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/ending-the-stigma-of-
addiction.jpg
5 Thing You Can Do to Fight the Stigma of Addiction, Maryland Addiction Recovery Center, November 17th, 2014.
Ending the stigma around addiction could help addicts find the courage to seek help while also allowing their
children to be unburdened by stereotypes. Recovery can only be found through support and compassion.

The key to ending stories like mine and helping these people out of desperate circumstances can
be found in the investment in community resources and ending the stigma around substance
addiction. Step one is making support more accessible both as a preventative measure and as a
treatment supplement. Counseling, rehab, and support groups should be made more affordable
with a broader scope of available locations. Step two is funding positively reinforced awareness
regarding substance addiction. This could make a great difference in preventing substance use,
while also ending the stigma that surrounds afflicted families. While addiction should not be
sugar coated, our framework does not need to be based around shaming those who struggle with
addiction, nor does it need to create the narrative that these people are unworthy of assistance
and change. Finally, investing in community resources to help poor, struggling families could
further reduce the initial draw to using these substances to relieve stress.
https://youtu.be/ANlj59l4-QY
How Herren Project is Making a Difference, Herren Project, March 27th, 2020. The Herren project is a nonprofit
organization that aims to assist, prevent, and empower those who struggle with addiction. The founder not only
proves that an addict can fully take back their life and change the narrative but has also provided hope to thousands
who struggle.

Although my plea is in no way meant to shame or place blame on any parties whom this letter
may find, this is a critical issue that can no longer be discussed in hushed tones or met with
silence. Substance addiction is a long overdue issue that requires immediate action, and I thank
you for the time taken to review my concerns. I strongly believe that if a person is not a part of
the solution, then they are a part of the problem. With that being said, if there is anything more I
can do to assist with efforts working towards a solution, please do not hesitate to contact me.
https://youtu.be/FuooVrSpffk
The Stigma of Addiction, Tony Hoffman, November 26th, 2018. The stigma of addiction follows an addict for the
rest of their life. But who is to judge someone’s character by an action that never had the intention of becoming a
habit? Let mistakes be a lesson to those who make them, not a brand.

Respectfully,

Destiny Pennewell
 Works Cited

Bockisch, Christina. “Does Addiction Run in Families? What Statistics Reveal.” Orlando
Recovery, 31 Mar. 2023, https://www.orlandorecovery.com/resources/does-addiciton-run-
in-families-statistics/.

This article discusses the relationship between genetics, environmental factors, and
drug/alcohol addiction. While genetics make up 50% of addiction risk, the probability of
using and becoming addicted to these substances are heavily influenced by external factors
such as parental substance use, familial opinion towards substance use, mental health,
home life, and personal opinion. Although the author does not have the professional
knowledge to back up the article's material, the source has an editorial policy that claims
licensed experts review each article prior to posting to the public and that all information is
backed up by accredited research sources. All outside sources are handled ethically and
clearly cited. The Orlando Recovery Center is accredited by The Joint Commission and the
Florida Department of Children and Families.

Sepulveda, Kristen, and Sarah Catherine Williams. “One in Three Children Entered Foster Care in
2017 Because of Parental Drug Abuse.” Child Trends, 25 Feb. 2019,
https://www.childtrends.org/blog/one-in-three-children-entered-foster-care-in-fy-2017-
because-of-parental-drug-abuse.

The article correlates the rise and rate of children entering the foster system to parental
mental health issues and neglect as a result of substance abuse. It goes on to support the
fact that many communities lack the resources to help battle addiction, such as recovery
treatment centers and foster homes for children. Child Trends projects great reliability not
only in its expert research team, but also in the various policies regarding transparency and
integrity included on the website. The source offers a list of all funders and partners of the
website and claims nonpartisanship. Following each article, any outside sources are clearly
cited and hyperlinked.

Thatcher, Todd. “How Parental Substance Abuse Impacts Kids.” Valley Behavioral Health, 12
Feb. 2020, https://valleycares.com/blog/families-in-crisis-how-parental-substance-abuse-
and-mental-health-impacts-kids/#:~:text=When%20children%20are%20being
%20neglected,problems%20and%20drug%2Daffected%20newborns.

This article describes the consequences that parental substance abuse has on children.
The neglect and emotional damage children face impacts their development, mental health,
risk of future addiction themselves, and relationship expectations. The author, Dr. Todd
Thatcher is a board-certified Chief Medical Officer that uses his expertise to improve client
care. Valley Behavioral Health was originally founded on the need for community access
to mental health resources that had previously been lacking. Today, they focus on
providing education and support through environmentally friendly means. No outside
sources were used.