Pennsylvania Youth In Foster Care Prescribed Antipsychotics At Four Times The Rate Of Other Youth Enrolled In Medicaid

In 2012, prescriptions for antipsychotics for Pennsylvanian children in foster care (ages 6-18 years old) was over four times higher (216 per 1,000) than for other youth enrolled in Medicaid (approximately 52 per 1,000). The overall (all ages) use of psychotropic medications was nearly three times higher among all youth in foster care (424 per 1,000) than youth in Medicaid (161 per 1,000). Over 50% of the youth prescribed an antipsychotic medication in Medicaid had a diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); the majority had no other psychiatric diagnosis.

These findings were reported in . . .