California Enacts Legislation To Limit Psychotropic Medications For Children In Foster Care

On October 6, 2015, California Governor Jerry Brown signed legislation to increase state oversight and to limit the amount of psychotropic medications prescribed to children in foster care. The legislation was a package of three bills: Senate Bills (SB) 484, 319, and 238. A provision of SB 484 calls for the California Department of Social Services (CDSS), the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), and stakeholders to establish a methodology to identify group homes that have disproportionately high levels of psychotropic drug medication. About 25% of children in California’s foster care system overall, and about half of those placed . . .