Free Recorded webinar
Presented by Dr. Kima Taylor and Dr. Mishka Terplan; moderated by Andrea Lyon
Originally recorded July 2, 2025
Approx. 90 min.
Stigma and misinformation about substance use during pregnancy often lead to infants being removed from their parents’ custody without understanding the needs of the parent or child. Led by medical experts, this program aims to bring science into the law by correcting misconceptions about prenatal drug exposure and the misuse of drug testing in child welfare reporting.
As Lisa Sangoi notes, “the child welfare and foster system has the power to do one of the most violent things a government can do against its people: separate families.” Through a case study and the Q&A format, this webinar explores common themes, questions, myths, concerns, and legal challenges surrounding prenatal drug use when the health care and child welfare systems intersect.
This resource is part of a series entitled “Medical Fundamentals for Defending Pregnancy-Related Cases,” which delves deeper into reproductive health, post-partum, and substance use.
Access:
Use this link to access the recording for free through the NACDL website, where additional resources are listed. You do not need to be a NACDL member to view the webinar, but you will have to login or create a free account. You can also use this link to view the recording on YouTube.
Presenters: Kimá Taylor, MD MPH, and Mishka Terplan, MD MPH, are the co-founders of the project Doing Right by Birth. The project seeks to shift the discussion from drugs in pregnancy and parenting to an emphasis on family and child wellbeing and development. Lawyers can find free resources on the project website, including Doing Right at Birth—a modular training useful for understanding CAPTA requirements and discrimination within the child welfare system.