Medicating very young children with psychotropic drugs is accepted protocol in foster homes and child protective services throughout America.
States vary, but 33% of state ward children appears to be the lowest percentage of children being medicated. Florida is at 50% Texas has had 67’% of its state ward children between the ages of 13 & 17 medicated).
In 2014, our nation placed 20,000 one and two-year old children on Prozac like drugs and Johnson & Johnson was fined (and paid) a four billion dollar fine for illegally selling these drugs to pediatricians for use on very young children.
As a county volunteer guardian ad Litem, I’ve seen my caseload kids damaged by these drugs and believe that our community and these children are paying a horrific price by failing to provide adequate treatment instead of the cheap ineffective use of these medications.
In Brooklyn Park, not far from me, state ward Kendrea Johnson hung herself and left a note (she was six). In Florida, seven-year old foster boy Gabriel Myers hung himself and left a very specific note about how he hated being forced to take Prozac like drugs.
In my CASA guardian ad litem work, I have experienced many stories of self-harming and suicidal behaviors of very young state ward children. Their lives are invisible – only the successful six and seven year-old suicides make the paper.
Suicidal ideation is a warning on all these medications. Most of us do not appreciate the concept of fully formed thoughts of suicide falling from the sky in full color instantly overwhelming any other thoughts. Adults can communicate what’s happened and have some say in what medications they take.
Not so with kids in child protection.
Behaviors deemed unmanageable by caregivers or educator can automatically result in severe drugging of a child who cannot say no. This video makes clear how Florida State Wards are forced to use these drugs. (THE PASSWORD IS “foster”.
Articles below provide a small sampling of the recent history of how America treats the mental health needs of traumatized children. Make this information part of your understanding and conversation.
Share this widely.
| Missouri sued over psychotropic drugs for foster care kids
KSDK The lawsuit claims psychotropic drugs are often prescribed as “chemical straight-jackets” for foster care children with attention deficit hyperactivity … State agencies sued over use of psychotropic drugs in foster children – Columbia Missourian
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| Five ways to combat growing polypharmacy among children
ModernMedicine Polypharmacy—which results from patients receiving treatment from … study, including opioids, antidepressants and other psychotropic medications.
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| World Needs “Revolution” in Mental Health Care, UN Health Rights Expert Reports
PR Newswire (press release) The mental health industry watchdog Citizens Commission on Human Rights says the drug model has led to 8.4 million children — 1 million aged five …
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The darker side of America’s mental health
RT
Even young children are being put on psychiatric drugs. … A lot of patients were put on their medication as children and by the time they were legally …
Two Arizona bills seek better data on medicated foster children
Arizona Daily Star
Both bills also require release of additional data, such as how often foster and non-foster children are simultaneously prescribed multiple psychotropic …
| Texas Foster Care System Faces Concerns About Overmedication of Children
Gilmer Mirror In 2015, 15.5 percent of foster children were prescribed psychotropic medication by the state or contract physicians, down from 28 percent in 2002.
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Canadian children now take far more mood-altering drugs, prescription count shows
National Post
Canadian children now take far more mood-altering drugs, prescription count … of psychotropic drugs to children is “pill pushing” by drug companies.
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The Mercury News
Joymara Coleman, a 24-year-old Cal State East Bay student, displays two of the psychotropic medications she was prescribed while in foster care.
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Lack of data blamed for over-medicating foster children in Sonoma County
Santa Rosa Press Democrat
The audit found Sonoma County often failed to show that it properly tracked cases in which foster kids were prescribed multiple psychotropic drugs …
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Legislators to review state foster system’s misuse of psychotropic drugs
Santa Rosa Press Democrat
State guidelines recommend that foster children should take no more than one psychotropic drug from each medication class, which include …
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Medicated: Many children in SLO County foster care are prescribed psychotropic drugs
New Times SLO
23, more than 17 percent of the children in SLO County’s foster care system were prescribed psychotropic medication during the 2014-2015 fiscal year …
Our foster kids may be over-medicated, but under-supervised medically, report says – OCRegister
California foster kids are over-medicated, report finds
State of Reform
Some foster children were prescribed psychotropic medications in amounts and dosages that exceeded state guidelines, and counties did not follow …
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‘Disturbed’ kids at city foster-care center ‘drugged’ at hospital
New York Post
It charges that children in the foster-care system suffer physical and mental abuse, and some get put on mind-numbing doses of psychiatric drugs.
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Foster Youth are Traumatized Enough: Why Psych Meds Should be Better Regulated
The Chronicle of Social Change
“SB 1174 and SB 1291 create additional safeguards for foster children who are given psychotropic medications beyond those the legislation created …
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Missouri sued for over-exposing foster children to psychotropic drugs …
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-missouri-lawsuit-foster-idUSKBN1931UL
Jun 12, 2017 – Two youth legal advocacy groups sued Missouri on Monday on behalf of 13000 fosterchildren, arguing that poor oversight left many of them …
State agencies sued over use of psychotropic drugs in foster children
www.standard.net/…/State-agencies-sued-over-use-of-psychotropic-drugs-in-foster-ch…
Jun 13, 2017 – COLUMBIA — A 12-year-old girl from Columbia is one of five children representing Missouri’s 13000 children in foster care in a class-action …
Class-Action Lawsuit Alleges Missouri Fails to Monitor Psychotropic …
https://chronicleofsocialchange.org/…/class-action-lawsuit-alleges-missouri-fails-monit…
Jun 13, 2017 – Prescribing powerful psychotropic drugs to kids in foster care without appropriate oversight places them at serious risk of harm, according to a …
Lawsuit Exposes State in Taking Kids from Parents and Heavily …
www.activistpost.com › Health
Jun 26, 2017 – Parties to the lawsuit allege foster children have been deprived of civil rights through the prescription of psychotropic drugs as a method of …
PsychRights: Model Qui Tam Lawsuits – Law Project for Psychiatric …
www.psychrights.org/Education/ModelQuiTam/ModelQuiTam.htm
February 11, 2010, Alaska psychiatrists accused of wrongly medicating children: FRAUD CLAIM: Doctors followed drug marketing recklessly, suit says, …
Class-Action Suit Targets Missouri’s Use of Psychotropic Drugs on …
https://www.riverfronttimes.com/…/class-action-suit-targets-missouris-use-of-psychotr…
Jun 12, 2017 – Missouri kids in foster care are far too likely to be doped up with too many prescriptiondrugs, at too young an age and with…
Missouri Sued for Putting Foster Kids on Bundles of Psychotropic Drugs
https://www.dailystormer.com/missouri-sued-for-putting-foster-kids-on-bundles-of-ps…
Jun 13, 2017 – Administrators in Missouri’s foster care system failed to monitor and oversee the use ofpsychotropic drugs on foster children, according to a …
California Moves To Stop Misuse Of Psychiatric Meds In Foster … – NPR
www.npr.org/…/california-moves-to-stop-misuse-of-psychiatric-meds-in-foster-care
Sep 2, 2015 – California Moves To Stop Misuse Of Psychiatric Meds In Foster Care … He’s now 22, off allmedication, and is helping troubled youth as a juvenile justice … Children in foster care are prescribed antipsychotic drugs at double to …
[PDF]California Guidelines for the Use of Psychotropic Medication with …
www.dhcs.ca.gov/provgovpart/pharmacy/Documents/QIP_Guidelines.pdf
The California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) and Department of …. address the use ofpsychotropic medication children and youth in out of home …
Bill Text – SB-238 Foster care: psychotropic medication. – California …
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id…
Existing law authorizes only a juvenile court judicial officer to make orders regarding the administration of psychotropic medications for a dependent child or a …
California’s foster care prescribers fuel the medication of vulnerable …
www.dailynews.com/…/californias-foster-care-prescribers-fuel-the-medication-of-vul…
Aug 13, 2016 – Former foster child Tisha Ortiz’s testimony before the state … in California foster care received psychotropic medication, often to control their …
California courts step up oversight of psychotropic medication use in …
www.mercurynews.com/…/california-courts-step-up-oversight-of-psychotropic-medic…
Apr 15, 2016 – California courts step up oversight of psychotropic medication use in foster care … And for the first time, foster children will be offered greater …
Rampant medication use found among L.A. County foster, delinquent …
www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-children-psychotropic-meds-20150217-story….
Feb 16, 2015 – There are 18,000 foster children and 1,000 youth in the juvenile … In California, 51% ofchildren on psychiatric medications are taking the most …
Sweeping New Legislation In California Limits Psychotropics Among …
https://thinkprogress.org/sweeping-new-legislation-in-california-limits-psychotropics-…
Oct 9, 2015 – California’s foster children and child welfare advocates scored a huge … not severe mental illnesses for which the psychotropic medication was …
California’s Foster Care System Doles Out A Shocking Amount Of Drugs
https://thinkprogress.org/californias-foster-care-system-doles-out-a-shocking-amount-…
Apr 17, 2015 – … use among children in California’s foster care system, lawmakers in … the psychotropic medication intake of those under state supervision.
New California laws curb overuse of medication on foster children …
www.sfchronicle.com/…/New-California-laws-curb-overuse-of-medication-on-91876…
Aug 26, 2016 – Requires monthly reporting on foster children who’ve received psychotropic medications; training for professionals who work with and care for …
California State Auditor Blasts Oversight of Psychotropic Medications …
https://chronicleofsocialchange.org/…/california-state-auditor-blasts-oversight-psychot…
Aug 25, 2016 – A report from California’s state auditor found that children in the state’s … provider within 30 days after taking new psychotropic medication.
Still in a Crib, Yet Being Given Antipsychotics – The New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/2015/…/psychiatric-drugs-are-being-prescribed-to-infants.html
Dec 10, 2015 – Most experts suspected that the trend of medicating younger and younger children for suspected psychiatric disorders was trickling down to …
Debate Over Children and Psychiatric Drugs – The New York Times
www.nytimes.com/2007/02/15/us/15bipolar.html
Feb 15, 2007 – The rising rates of diagnosis and medication use strike some doctors … Death of a Girl, 4, Raise Issue of Giving Psychiatric Drugs to Children.
Psychotropics – Children’s Rights
www.childrensrights.org/our-campaigns/5605/
One former foster youth described his experience with psychotropic meds this way: … Institute estimated that the rate of psychotropic medication use for youth in foster care … The roadmaps for foster care reform that Children’s Rights negotiated in New Jersey, … 88 Pine Street, Suite 800, New York, NY 10005 | 212.683.2210.
Psychotropic Medication: State and Local Examples – Child Welfare …
https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/systemwide/bhw/…/medications/state-local/
Jump to New York – New York State Office of Children and Family Services Provides information for youth in foster care about their medical rights.
[PDF]08-OCFS-INF-02 The Use of Psychiatric Medications for Children and …
ocfs.ny.gov/…/08-OCFS-INF-02%20The%20Use%20of%20Psychiatric%20Medicatio…
by E Spitzer – 2008 – Related articles
Feb 13, 2008 – For these reasons, treatment of children with psychiatric medication … In accordance with New York State laws and regulations, any medical …
Report finds Florida foster kids put on psychotropic drugs without …
https://www.orlandoweekly.com/…/report-finds-florida-foster-kids-put-on-psychotrop…
Sep 22, 2015 – Report finds Florida foster kids put on psychotropic drugs without following … met all the key requirements for administering such medication.
Psychotropic Medication Resources – Florida’s Center for Child Welfare
centerforchildwelfare.fmhi.usf.edu/ChildWellBeing/PsychotropicResources.shtml
University of Florida MedConsult Line (http://dcf.psychiatry.ufl.edu). On-line … CF-FSP 5228 –Psychotropic Medication Informed Consent Facilitation (May’10).
65C-35 : Psychotropic Medication for Children in Out of Home Care …
https://www.flrules.org/gateway/ChapterHome.asp?Chapter=65C-35
65C-35.007, Authority to Provide Psychotropic Medications to Children in … to or Withdraws Consent for the Provision of Psychotropic Medication (Repealed) …
Foster children in Florida prescribed psychotropic drugs at far h
www.palmbeachpost.com/…children-florida…psychotropic…/jPUtQdLxl4mkNopkw0…
Dec 2, 2011 – Foster children in Florida prescribed psychotropic drugs at far higher …. of children onpsychiatric medication often took higher doses than are …
[PDF]Florida Psychotherapeutic Medication Guidelines for Children and …
www.medicaidmentalhealth.org/_…/2015%20Florida%20Best%20Practice%20Medica…
medicaidmentalhealth.org. Florida. Medicaid Drug. Therapy Management. Program for ….. Psychotropic Medication in Children under Age 6 (continued) …
Rate of Foster Kids on Psychotropic Drugs Falls | The Texas Tribune
https://www.texastribune.org/2013/…/interactive-foster-children-prescribed-high-dose…
Jan 29, 2013 – In a 2004 report titled “Forgotten Children” that highlighted the overuse of psychotropic medication by foster children in Texas, then-state …
Foster Children Put on Psychotropic Medication, Big Money for Foster …
reason.com/blog/2013/08/07/foster-children-put-on-psychotropic-medi
Aug 7, 2013 – 67 percent of children aged 13 to 17 in Texas are on at least one … use of psychotropic medication in the foster care system, and specifically in …
[PDF]Strengthening Psychotropic Medication … – One Voice Texas
www.onevoicetexas.org/14-Strengthening%20Psychotropic%20Medication%20Acco…
Strengthening Psychotropic Medication Accountability for Children in Foster Care … The Texas childwelfare system has made major strides to improve …
Reducing Inappropriate Psychotropic Prescribing For Children And …
healthaffairs.org/…/reducing-inappropriate-psychotropic-prescribing-for-children-and…
Apr 17, 2015 – Lessons From States To Improve Psychotropic Medication Oversight And … Texas‘ childwelfare agency convened an Advisory Committee on …
Search Results
Drugging Our Kids | Part 1: The Mercury News
extras.mercurynews.com/druggedkids/
Aug 24, 2014 – “We’re experimenting on our children,” said Los Angeles County Judge Michael Nash, who presides over the nation’s largest juvenile court.
Drugging Our Kids The Mercury News
www.mercurynews.com/tag/drugging-our-kids/
Drugging Our Kids: Governor signs bills to curb psych drugs prescribed to … Drugging Our Kids: Legislation to halt overmedicating foster children moves forward.
Drugging Our Kids: Brown passes two psych med … – The Mercury News
www.mercurynews.com/…/drugging-our-kids-governor-signs-bills-to-curb-psych-dru…
Sep 29, 2016 – The measure is part of a series of sweeping legislative reforms inspired by this newsorganization’s series “Drugging Our Kids” that disclosed …
Drugging Our Kids: Foster care bill targets … – The Mercury News
www.mercurynews.com/…/drugging-our-kids-foster-care-bill-targets-excessive-prescr…
Apr 11, 2016 – Former foster youth Tisha Ortiz, 23, testifies on Monday, April 11, 2016 at the California state Capitol in Sacramento, Calif., during a hearing on …
Drugging our kids: The documentary video – The Mercury News
www.mercurynews.com/2014/12/27/drugging-our-kids-the-documentary-video/
Dec 27, 2014 – Today, in Part 5 of our investigative series “Drugging Our Kids,” we present a documentary video that gives voice to many of these young …
Drugging Our Kids, The Mercury News | AHRP
ahrp.org/drugging-our-kids-the-mercury-news/
Aug 11, 2016 – A sensational 5-part series in The Mercury News (2014) “Drugging Our Kids” focuses on the horrific experience of children in California’s foster …
“Drugging Our Kids” Wins Another Journalism Award – The Chronicle …
https://chronicleofsocialchange.org/news…/drugging-our-kids-wins-another-journalis…
Jun 30, 2015 – The multimedia series “Drugging Our Kids,” published by the San Jose Mercury News, won the Edward R. Murrow Award for an online news …
Drugging Our Kids: Mercury News hosts screening of video on …
www.marinij.com/…news/…/drugging-our-kids-mercury-news-hosts-screening-of-vid…
Mar 5, 2015 – The San Jose Mercury News will host a public screening of the newspaper’s documentary ‘Drugging Our Kids,’ a video that reveals the …
Mercury News editorial: Spotlight on ‘Drugging Our Kids’ pays off
www.marinij.com/general-news/20151230/mercury-news…drugging-our-kids…/2
Dec 30, 2015 – It’s often wishful thinking that shining a light on something wrong will be enough to get people to stop it. But sometimes, if the problem is bad …
Drugging Our Kids: Previous Broadcasts | KQED Public Media for …
www.kqed.org/tv/programs/index.jsp?pgmid=23032
KQED 9: Mon, Dec 7, 2015 — 11:30 PM. Based on a yearlong San Jose Mercury News investigation, this documentary looks into the excessive use of psychiatric …
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