More Than One-Fifth Of Massachusetts Children In DCF Custody Prescribed Psychotropics
More than one-fifth of children in custody of the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families (DCF) between July 2019 and December 2023 were prescribed at least one psychotropic medication. According to the recent audit, psychotropics were prescribed to 3,899 (22%) of the 17,891 children in DCF custody during this period. Additionally, DCF did not properly maintain health care records in the state's iFamilyNet (iFN), a statewide automated child welfare information system, for children in its protective custody who received psychotropic medications.
In total 93,687 psychotropic prescriptions were filled for the 3,204 children in DCF . . .