Foster children are often prescribed psychiatric drugs, but without a treatment plan

Kids in foster care are often prescribed psychiatric drugs — but there isn’t always a plan in place for their treatment or follow-up care, according to a new report released by the inspector general’s office at HHS. Here’s what you need to know:

• The findings: About 1 in 3 kids in foster care who were prescribed psychiatric drugs didn't receive a treatment plan or medication monitoring. The study looked at five states where kids in foster care were most often prescribed psychiatric drugs: Iowa, Maine, New Hampshire, North Dakota, and Virginia.
• The recommendations: “Improved compliance and strengthened state requirements are imperative to provide protections for children who are at risk for inappropriate treatment and inappropriate prescribing practices,” the report concludes.
• On a related note: In a new report, the EPA’s watchdog office found that the agency isn't doing a good enough job keeping tabs on asbestos levels in schools. 

Treatment Planning and Medication Monitoring Were Lacking for Children in Foster Care Receiving Psychotropic Medication (OEI-07-15-00380; 09/18)