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Wisconsin Alliance for
Drug Endangered Children:
Quarterly Newsletter
US DOJ / WI DOJ DCI / OJA / DHFS / P&P / Etc...
Volume 1, Issue 1
Inside this issue: Winter 2008
Who We Are, What 1 A Letter from the Editor
We Do & Why We
Need You!
Dear Readers,
„07 WIDEC 2
Welcome to the Wisconsin Alliance for Drug Endangered Children (WIDEC)
Conference Review
Newsletter. Because our distribution list is forever growing, the first article of our letter
„07 County DEC 3 will remain the same: Below are commonly asked questions about our program with
Program Photos brief answers. If you would like additional information on WIDEC, we suggest
„07 National DEC 4
browsing our website at www.WisconsinDEC.org. If you have specific questions
Conference Highlights
regarding this newsletter or would like to see an article on a particular topic, feel free
to contact the editor. Thank you for taking the time to stay informed and keeping the
Drugs in the News 5 children of Wisconsin a priority.
Sincerely,
Points of Andrea LeStarge To unsubscribe to this newsletter
Interest: WIDEC Federal Program Coordinator
click here
Welcome to our
first newsletter!
WIDEC County
Who We Are, What We Do and Why We Need YOU!
Count-down: What is a DEC Program? A DEC Program is commonly comprised of members from law
enforcement, human services, prosecutors‟ offices, the medical community, health depart-
60 More to Go!
ment and probation/parole. Other agencies such as schools, treatment centers, non-profit
groups, concerned community members and others may also be included.
Check it out! What do you do? The focus of the DEC program is to work collectively to pull together
WIDEC Website: resources, identify drug endangered children, and create a plan to better meet these chil-
dren‟s needs and ensure their safety.
www.WisconsinDEC.org
What are Drug Endangered Environments? Drug Endangered Environments are
caused by those who use, sell and manufacture drugs. Often, children are found in these
Save the Date!
environments and are endangered because of abuse/neglect issues. WIDEC realizes that
WIDEC Conference: being a parent is a hard job, but being a parent on drugs is impossible.
9/23 — 9/25/2008 How can I help? In Wisconsin, DEC programs are developed at the community/county
Paper Valley level. Agencies dealing with DEC will decide protocol to ensure a smooth transition for the
child. WIDEC is also always looking for help from community members to promote DEC
Radisson Hotel
programs through publicity and donations. If you are interested in starting or being a part
Appleton, WI of an existing County DEC Program, click here.
SEE PAGE 2 ! Do you have information I can have and share with others? WIDEC is pleased to pre-
sent on DEC awareness for agencies, schools or community members. Brochures/
Booklets/DVD‟s are available. For more information, please visit our website and click on
resources: www.WisconsinDEC.org
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2007 Wisconsin DEC Conference in Review
On September 18th and 19th, the Second Annual Wisconsin Drug Endangered
Children (WIDEC) Conference was held at the Holiday Inn in Steven‟s Point,
Wisconsin. Registration numbers show that almost 200 people attended ranging from
Law Enforcement, Social Workers, Probation/Parole Agents and Educators to
Treatment Care Providers, Health Professionals, Prosecutors and Child Advocacy
Representatives.
To start the conference, new County DEC Programs were honored for their
determination to start and maintain a program. Next, National DEC Executive Director, Lori Moriarty told the history
of DEC. In an honest testimonial Moriarty admitted that it took five times of executing search warrants at the same
house in Colorado to finally realize children were present. DEC is important because it calls attention to the fact
that children are being abused/neglected by their caregivers in homes where drugs are sold, manufactured
and/or produced. As public service professionals, we cannot overlook DEC situations.
Hearing straight from the mouths of the children who grew up in drug endangered homes was the panel of four
young women. Although evaluations show that the stories they shared were hard to listen to because of their
perception of the events that occurred, all agreed these ladies were courageous in telling their stories. This session
was moderated by Susan Nowak who gave a presentation earlier on common drugs in a teenager‟s life based on
her experiences as a Juvenile Addiction Counselor.
Concluding day one was a presentation on Wisconsin statutes that pertain to DEC investigations by Judge Todd
Bjerke and “Success Stories” from established DEC Programs on the county level.
Day two consisted of an energetic, four-hour presentation by Dr. Nicolas Taylor who helped the audience understand
the amazing power of addiction and posed the question, “In the end, can we really help DEC without finding a
proper treatment for DAP (Drug Endangered Parents)?” Perhaps the answer lies within Dr. Taylor‟s last
comments on the DELTA Model.
The WIDEC Conference concluded with an overwhelming applause and the WIDEC Steering Committee and WIDEC
2007 Conference Committee would like to thank all who attended.
*We are always accepting suggestions for speakers at upcoming conferences! If you would like to make a suggestion, or even ask a question
about our conferences, email: andrea.lestarge@usdoj.gov
Save the Date!
2008 WIDEC Conference
September 24—25, 2008
(With a special DEC 101 Course in the afternoon on 9/23!)
Paper Valley Radisson Hotel, Appleton, WI
2
- P H O TO G AL L E RY o f C O U N T Y D E C P R O G R AM S -
Thank Barron County Chippewa County
You!
Dunn County LaCrosse County
Douglas County
Sheboygan County Trempealeau County
Rusk County
Congratulations!
Washington County
Washburn County
Wood County
Waushara County
3
„07 National DEC Conference Highlights
Four representatives from WIDEC attended the National DEC Conference held in Kansas City,
Missouri this past October. National DEC has modified its strategy from previous years, now
hoping to bring disciplines together through “Co-Intelligence” and “Evidence-Based Practice.” In
other words, science facilitates policy that feeds into practice, ultimately leading to implementation.
The Wisconsin Alliance for
Drug Endangered Children
is a multi-disciplinary
partnership that assists
communities in assessing
service needs, coordinating
efforts and keeping
children safe and free from
dangerous drug
environments.
WIDEC Quick Contacts:
WIDEC Chair/State
Coordinator:
Special Agent in Charge,
Cindy Giese
gieseck@doj.state.wi.us
When these four items are linked, all agencies are communicating, understanding what each
WIDEC Federal other‟s role is in a DEC situation, and can therefore truly enact a Comprehensive Community
Coordinator: Response. Within this model, DEC programs identify and assess child endangerment; plan how to
manage cases and the treatment process, and ultimately determine sustainability.
Andrea LeStarge
andrea.lestarge@usdoj.gov
Other Helpful Links:
National Alliance for Drug
Endangered Children:
www.NationalDEC.org
American Society of Addiction
Medicine:
www.asam.org
U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services, Alcohol
& Drug Information:
ncadi.samhsa.gov
Office of National Drug
Control Policy:
www.ondcp.gov
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click here
4
Drugs in the Media
Cops‟ Corner
School Spot
“Cheese, which sells for as little as $2 a
10/18/2007: Associated Press hit, is a highly addictive blend of black
reports that Bethlehem, Pennsylvania tar heroin and crushed Tylenol PM, or
Middle School Principal, John Acerra any similar cold medicine containing a
Reporting:
(50), plead guilty to selling crystal sleep aid. It has spread fastest in a
*If you suspect a child is in
methamphetamine to an informant who cluster of middle and high schools in
immediate danger,
met Acerra at his office at Nitschmann northwest Dallas” (The Dallas Morning
call 9-1-1!
Middle School. News).
Anonymous hotlines Apologizing, Acerra stated, “I take full The White House Office of National
available 24 hours a day, responsibility for my actions” and was Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) is
7 days a week! sentenced to two to four years in state warning public health and safety leaders
prison by a Lehigh County Court across the country about a dangerous
Wisconsin Drug Tip Line: Judge. new drug threat coming from Canada.
1-800-NAB-DRUG Pride Surveys is an analytical group of Ecstasy laced with methamphetamine
(drugtipline@doj.state.wi.us) professionals who conduct official (street names: “Extreme Ecstasy” or
—— measurements, for example, of “Meth X”) has been entering the United
Child Abuse & Neglect: adolescent drug use in America. Their States illegal drug markets, particularly
1-414-220-SAFE conclusions on A Portrait of the Typical in northern border states. Intelligence
—— School-Age Meth User were rather reports indicate that once smuggled into
Poison Control Hotline: interesting. With 101,141 student the U.S., the meth-laced Ecstasy is then
1-800-222-1222 responses (in grades 6 - 12), 3,000 being distributed throughout the country.
—— reported using the drug: “The typical
student user of meth is a 17-year old
white male who lives with both parents, Anatomy Alcove
first tried meth at age 12.6 years, under
performs in the classroom and does These dangerous poly-drug
We are always willing combination of methamphetamine and
not view the drug as harmful to the
to pass on information Ecstasy can have severe health
health.”
regarding Drug consequences:
Endangered Children.
toxic effects on the brain (recent
If you have a DEC Prosecutor‟s Place
laboratory research suggests that these
news story in your
12/12/2007: Wausau Daily Herald combinations may produce greater
community, please
reports Gavin Kasten; a six-month old adverse neurochemical and behavioral
share it with us— Drug
baby boy, died in his bassinet with a effects than either drug alone)
Endangered Children
bottle held in place by a blanket, while Interference with the body‟s ability to
often live in shadows,
his mother, Jessica Kasten (26), slept regulate temperature, leading to sharp
but we can bring to
for 22 hours after using increases (hyperthermia)
light their situations
methamphetamine. Two other children
and be their voice. With an irregular body temperature, liver,
were also found in the home, hungry
kidneys and cardiovascular system
and in heavily-soiled diapers.
complications (including death) can result
Kasten plead no contest to one felony:
The potential of life-threatening or fatal
neglecting a child causing death. She
overdoses increases with alcohol
To unsubscribe to this newsletter will be sentenced April 4, 2008.
click here
5
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