Northwest Center for Family Support (NCFS): Supporting Caregivers in OUD Recovery and Promoting Prevention for Youth

Northwest Center for Family Support (NCFS), housed within the University of Washington’s Social Development Research Group, was established to build capacity and increase access to family-focused EBIs for families impacted by opioid use disorder (OUD) in Washington State. Children whose caregivers have been diagnosed with OUD are at increased risk for behavioral health disorders, emotional and behavioral challenges, abuse or neglect, and early substance use initiation. EBIs exist that can help families build nurturing, responsive, effective parenting skills and strengthen family communication and problem-solving. They have been shown to support caregivers’ own recovery and improve outcomes in children and adolescents. NCFS provides free EBI training, consultation, and technical assistance to opioid treatment programs and other service providers to support EBI selection, training, and implementation. Presenters will share lessons-learned to inform efforts to increase family-friendly treatment to families impacted by OUD.