Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Prevention

Prevention strategies can reduce the harm of substance use and mental disorders while also decreasing the risk of maltreatment. Using the following resources can help build resiliency among parents, children, and families.

Highlighted Resource

Improving Early Childhood Outcomes and Systems for Families Affected by Parental Substance Use, Substance Use Disorders, and Co-...

Overview: Improving Early Childhood Outcomes and Systems for Families Affected by Parental Substance Use, Substance Use Disorders, and Co-Occurring Mental Health Disorders

National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare, 2025

Helps build capacity for child welfare, substance use disorder (SUD) and mental health treatment, and early childhood service providers

...(Read More)
View Series

Policy and Practice Resources

Prevention Resource Guide

Children’s Bureau, Office on Child Abuse and..., 2023

Designed for community-based service providers, policymakers, health care providers

... (Read More)
View Document (PDF 12.0 MB)

Title IV-E Prevention Services Clearinghouse

Administration for Children and Families, n.d.

Conducts an objective and transparent review of research on programs and services

... (Read More)
View Website

Related Online Training, Videos, and Webinars

Improving Early Childhood Outcomes and Systems for Families Affected by Parental Substance Use, Substance U...

National Center on Substance Abuse and Child..., 2025

Helps build capacity for child welfare, substance use disorder (SUD) and mental health treatment, and early childhood service providers

... (Read More)
View Series

State and Local Examples

Considerations for Scaling Evidence-Based Prevention Programs under the Family First Prevention Services Ac...

Child Trends, 2020

Presents two evidence-based prevention models used successfully in New York City

... (Read More)
View Website

Prevention Tools: What Works, What Doesn't

Washington State Health Care Authority, 2019

Discusses the importance of evidence-based interventions to prevent child abuse and

... (Read More)
View Document (PDF 5.8 MB)

Hampton Healthy Families Partnership, Inc.

Describes how city and community agencies have joined together with public and

... (Read More)
View Website

Additional Resources

Talk. They Hear You. Campaign

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services A..., 2019

This fact sheet contains the background and history of SAMHSA's "Talk. They Hear You

... (Read More)
View Website

Prevent Child Abuse America

Prevent Child Abuse America is the nation’s oldest and largest organization committed

... (Read More)
View Website

Prevention

Child Welfare Information Gateway, n.d.

This website features all topics, publications, training tools, and events related to

... (Read More)
View Website

Find Help with a Personal Situation

Substance Use and Mental Health Treatment Locator

To find treatment facilities confidentially, 24/7, please call 1-800-662-4357 (HELP).

To locate general treatment services, visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA’s) Treatment Locator online or call 1-800-662-4357 (HELP). This service provides referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations. It is a free, confidential, 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a year information service, in English and Spanish, for individuals and family members needing treatment for a mental and/or substance use disorder.

To locate general treatment services, visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA’s) Treatment Locator online or call 1-800-662-4357 (HELP). This service provides referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations. It is a free, confidential, 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a year information service, in English and Spanish, for individuals and family members needing treatment for a mental and/or substance use disorder.

National Child Abuse Hotline

If you suspect a child has been harmed by abuse or neglect, please call 1-800-422-4453.

If you suspect that a child has been harmed or is at risk of being harmed by abuse or neglect, call the National Child Abuse Hotline at Call the National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453. Serving the United States and Canada, the hotline is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with professional crisis counselors who—through interpreters—provide assistance in over 170 languages. All calls, texts, and chats are confidential. If you believe a child is in immediate danger of harm, call 911 first.

If you suspect that a child has been harmed or is at risk of being harmed by abuse or neglect, call the National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453. Serving the United States and Canada, the hotline is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with professional crisis counselors who—through interpreters—provide assistance in over 170 languages. All calls, texts, and chats are confidential. If you believe a child is in immediate danger of harm, call 911 first.

National Suicide Prevention Line

For free and confidential support for people in distress, 24/7, please call or text 988, chat 988Lifeline.org, or call 1-800-273-8255.

If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide or experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis, help is available and there are options to receive compassionate care. You can call or text 988 or chat 988Lifeline.org. You can also call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255). Both are confidential and available 24/7 to everyone in the United States and will connect you to a trained counselor at a suicide crisis center nearest you.

If you or someone you know are in crisis, thinking about harming yourself, attempting suicide, or harming another person, tell someone who can help right away. There are options to help you cope. Call the toll-free, 24-hour hotline of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) to be connected to a trained counselor at a suicide crisis center nearest you. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is confidential support, available 24/7 to everyone in the United States.

Contact Us

The National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare offers free technical assistance to a variety of systems on making policy and practice changes to improve outcomes for families affected by substance use disorders and involvement with child welfare services. To learn more about technical assistance services or if you have a question please email NCSACW at ncsacw@cffutures.org or call toll-free at 1–866–493–2758.

Administration for Children & FamiliesSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
https://ncsacw.acf.gov

An official website of the Administration for Children and Families and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare