Children’s Mental Health: Concerns Remain About Appropriate Services For Children In Medicaid And Foster Care, GAO-13-15

Children covered by Medicaid took psychotropic medications at a higher rate during 2007 through 2009 than children with private insurance, and not all children needing mental health treatment received it. Among children in foster care, up to 30% of foster children who may have needed mental health care services did not receive them during the year; of those who did receive treatment, 33% received both psychotropic medication and mental health services, nine percent received only medications, and 28% received mental health services only. Outside the foster care system, about two-thirds of children—including those in Medicaid and those who . . .