[mama2lucas]

I have a foster son who is 14 mo and has been with us since birth. His bio mom has tested positive for cocaine. One thing on her case plan was to go to DOA. Can anyone tell me what that is? She has gone to DOA. Is DOA supposed to cure her drug addiction? Doesn't she need to go to rehab for a drug detox? How can a visit or two to DOA be enough? I don't know how often she uses, but could she not just stay clean for a week, come to the visit and test negative for drugs. And then on the weeks when she couldn't stay clean, miss the visit so she doesn't have to do a drug test? I so desperately want to adopt our son. It seems the system is really messed up. People don't get off drugs easily. Rehab and counseling are needed. How can they send a child home to a drug addict just because of a few negative drug tests (which my bio mom has failed to do so far)?

[Samual]

It takes at least 6 months for cocaine to leave the body and you can test positive for around 9 months after taking cocaine, so it would be impossible to pass a test after not taking any drugs for a week.

[burfield1mom]

In most court systems DOA stands for Department of Administration. There could be a possiblity that this is a local abriviation for a dependency class like they would have DUI/DWI offenders attend. I wish you the best of luck!

[purelegance]

Originally Posted by Samual

It takes at least 6 months for cocaine to leave the body and you can test positive for around 9 months after taking cocaine, so it would be impossible to pass a test after not taking any drugs for a week.

No Samual, i'm sorry. But for cocaine to completely leave your system it's only a few days. If you're a heavy heavy heavy user, in rare instances it can take up to a month.. but i've never heard of it taking that long. Most people can pass a test after 96 hours

i'm not sure what DOA is, but it sounds like some sort of rehab system. Maybe there's some way to have her either randomly tested or tested every other day? i'm sure if she fails so many, they'll proceed with allowing you to adopt him. have you contacted a lawyer to see your options?

[mama2lucas]

I have not contacted a lawyer. The foster agency takes care of all of that...that's the way I understand it anyway.
Thanks for the replies. I think I will talk to the case manager about the drug tests...maybe have them more often than once a week.

[Samual]

Originally Posted by purelegance

No Samual, i'm sorry. But for cocaine to completely leave your system it's only a few days. If you're a heavy heavy heavy user, in rare instances it can take up to a month.. but i've never heard of it taking that long. Most people can pass a test after 96 hours

i'm not sure what DOA is, but it sounds like some sort of rehab system. Maybe there's some way to have her either randomly tested or tested every other day? i'm sure if she fails so many, they'll proceed with allowing you to adopt him. have you contacted a lawyer to see your options?

Your body cannot metabolise cocaine, it only leaves the body when it naturally degrades, which certainly does not happened within 96 hours, it even remains in your hair for 3 months, as the material degrades very slow it is very slowly released from the body via the urine like all drugs, the half life alone of cocaine is 9-10 days, then you have to take into account every halfday to come, thats why in a dead person the amount of drugs such as alcohol is very hard to detect as it breaks down very fast naturally, where as cocaine is a very stable compound so it is very easy to detect and to work out the original amount present.

[JeanLynn81]

Originally Posted by mama2lucas

I have a foster son who is 14 mo and has been with us since birth. His bio mom has tested positive for cocaine. One thing on her case plan was to go to DOA. Can anyone tell me what that is? She has gone to DOA. Is DOA supposed to cure her drug addiction? Doesn't she need to go to rehab for a drug detox? How can a visit or two to DOA be enough? I don't know how often she uses, but could she not just stay clean for a week, come to the visit and test negative for drugs. And then on the weeks when she couldn't stay clean, miss the visit so she doesn't have to do a drug test? I so desperately want to adopt our son. It seems the system is really messed up. People don't get off drugs easily. Rehab and counseling are needed. How can they send a child home to a drug addict just because of a few negative drug tests (which my bio mom has failed to do so far)?

I have nothing but respect for foster parents. They have more strength than I could ever have, by offering to care for and get attached to a child that they may have to give back someday. I'm sure this is something that you were counseled on in the beginning, but no amount of preperation can prepare you for the heartbreak of having to give him back. Its dangerous for you to use the phrase "my son" because in fact, he is not yet your son. You have not adopted him. He has a mother, even if she is not an ideal one.

If she cleans up her act, and does everything required of her, she stands a very good chance of getting her son back. I think you need counseling in order to learn how to deal with this. It can't be easy for you. I can almost "read" your pain in that post, and I am sorry its so hard for you. We can offer our support and encouragement here, but a professional is best to help you sort out your feelings.

I can tell you really love that little boy, and you are the only mother he's ever really known. BUT if you love him you need to accept that what is in his best interest, is not always in yours too. What is best for him is for his biological mother to clean up and be there for him. She may do that, she might not. You need to be prepared for whatever outcome.

Best of luck to you!

[mama2lucas]

I asked my case worker. It's not DOA...it is AOD.....lol. Anyway. It is Alcohol and other Drug counseling. I think the mom had to go only one time. Probably just to determine exactly what she is addicted to. And I understand that children should be with their biological parents. And I understand my foster son could go home to his bio parents.
I am new to fostering. I have had one placement. I don't know how easily parents can get their kids back. It disturbs me to think that a mother who hit her children might have to take a parenting class, come to supervised visits, "follow the rules" for a few months and then could get her children back. Because she took a parenting class, does that mean she won't ever hit her kids again...I don't think people change that easily. I am heartless towards the bio parents I guess but children shouldn't be shuffled back and forth between foster homes and bio homes and then back to foster homes because, again, they were abused or neglected.