To get Josie to cooperate, Cragen suggests Benson and Stabler offer her something to eat, saying "interventions aren't always pretty". Though never mentioned on-screen, it's possible that, as a recovering alcoholic, Cragen is speaking from experience.
The episode brought guest star Patricia Charbonneau and director Helen Shaver back working together. Both had previously starred in the critically acclaimed film Desert Hearts (1985).
The song heard in Anna's bedroom, "You're out of your mind", was penned and performed by Molly Pasutti. She has written songs for Film and TV since 1999. Her previous work includes The Simpsons (1989), Friends (1994) and Monster (2003).
Streetwise is the title of a photojournalist book (1988), by celebrated investigative photographer, Mary Ellen Mark (b.1940, d.2015). She documented the homeless scenes, specifically of the children, and made namesake documentaries detailing her experiences of gathering such records of street life. She's also the inspiration for Paige Beddels.