Report finds Florida overmedicates foster children

Yesterday, the Miami Herald revealed that in a report “expected to be released publicly later this month,” a “panel of child-welfare experts, including two top administrators from the” Florida Department of Children & Families, “says child welfare authorities too often rely on the potent medications to manage abused and neglected children — but fail to offer psychiatric treatment to help them overcome the trauma they suffered.”

The report states that “caregivers for children in state custody frequently use powerful mind-altering drugs to manage unruly kids, rather than treat their anger and sadness.” According to the report, “psychotherapeutic medications are often being used to help parents, teachers, and other child workers quiet and manage, rather than treat, children.” The Herald adds that “the use of psychiatric drugs among children in state care is widespread.” In fact, “records updated by DCF last week show that, among children in state care aged six to 12, more than 22 percent are being given psychiatric” medications.

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