Psych News
Credit: Jeremy Detter/RECORD PHOTO
Are some foster kids over-medicated?
NC now looking to scrutinize how Medicaid dispensed to children
North Carolina now has a program that will allow it to monitor children on Medicaid who are prescribed antipsychotic and other mood-altering medications. A+Kids was implemented after doctors and those in the mental health field started questioning whether the medications were being over prescribed.
NC now looking to scrutinize how Medicaid dispensed to children
North Carolina now has a program that will allow it to monitor children on Medicaid who are prescribed antipsychotic and other mood-altering medications. A+Kids was implemented after doctors and those in the mental health field started questioning whether the medications were being over prescribed.
In the grocery store, a child goes through the produce isle picking up items and biting into them. When mom tries to stop him, he takes a bite out of her. Meanwhile, the child has managed to get the attention of shoppers and workers alike.
Mom is used to dealing with the behavior and outbursts but a doctor recently recommended putting the boy on medication.
The medication is an antipsychotic meant to control the boy’s outbursts and symptoms of his disorder.
The child, who is a Medicaid recipient and in foster care, has the state looking out for him.
Child Medicaid recipients who are prescribed powerful antipsychotics now have the state looking over the shoulders of their doctors.
Last year, the state rolled out a web-based program called A+Kids (Antipsychotics — Keep It Documented for Safety) that will help it document the antipsychotics being prescribed to children under 18 years old.
According to information from the state, more than 20,000 children on Medicaid were prescribed antipsychotics in 2010.
Heavily medicated FULL STORY
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