Elmo's friend, Karli, is currently living in foster care because her mom has an opioid addiction
During an episode, Elmo friend, a 10-year-old human girl named Salia Woodbury, was having a real-life battle with opioids because her mother was having a 'grown-up problem' and was recovering from an addiction. As the two were explaining the situation using stuff animals, Elmo says to Woodbury not to feel bad and that she wasn't to blame.
Sesame Workshop which is the non-profit organization behind Sesame Street wants children of recovering addicts to know that 'You are not alone. You will be taken care of. Addiction is a sickness and, as with any sickness, people need help to get better. And most importantly: It’s not your fault.'