Texas Intervention Reduced Off-Label Antipsychotic Medication Use Among Foster Children By 5%

An intervention implemented by a Texas Medicaid managed care organization (MCO) resulted in reducing off-label antipsychotic medication use by 5% among children ages 6 through 17 in foster care with conduct disorder or attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Use of antipsychotics remained steady for conditions approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), such as bipolar disorder or autism spectrum disorders. In 2007, about 21.7% of Texas youth in foster care were taking antipsychotics.

The intervention combined routine mental health screening, health passports, an elective psychiatric consultation line, and retrospective drug utilization reviews. The goal was to . . .