Psychotropic Drugs Prescribed to Foster Children Without State Consent
Recently, the Chicago Tribune reported that powerful medications known as psychotropics were being prescribed to hundreds of Illinois foster children without the mandatory consent of state child welfare officials. During 2007, as many as 240 foster children received these strong medications without consent. Some medical centers, including one of Illinois’ largest psychiatric centers, Streamwood Behavioral Health Center, allegedly used these dangerous drugs as a chemical restraint on youth who needed counseling.
According to a report by the Tribune, the center is extremely understaffed-leading to extremely high rates of emergency psychiatric medication, physical restraint, and seclusion for its young charges. As Illinois DCFS director Erwin McEwen stated in response to the report, “Profiteering at the expense of the mental health of vulnerable children will not be tolerated in Illinois…PSI [the owner of the Streamwood center] needs to develop a different business model if they want to continue caring for our children”. At another facility owned by PSI, John Costigan Residential Center, emergency medication was used at least 30 times more than comparable programs serving similar numbers of foster children.
Since 2007, an increasing number of foster children have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and given mood-altering psychotropic drugs. Prescribing such drugs for children is risky, as some doctors assert they can cause abnormalities in metabolism and significant weight gain in young people. Usage of psychotropics is more risky for foster children, since they lack an adult presence to help monitor the effects of the drugs.