How Pennsylvania is Tackling Psychotropic Medication Use Among Children
On Tuesday, February 23rd, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) announced encouraging signs of progress around psychotropic medication prescribing to Medicaid-enrolled and foster care children in the commonwealth. In a press conference at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), DHS Secretary Ted Dallas announced several new initiatives to reduce the use of psychotropic medication among our state’s most vulnerable children.
Children in Pennsylvania and nationwide are being prescribed antipsychotic medications at alarmingly high rates. A state-commissioned PolicyLab study found that in 2012 in Pennsylvania, the use of psychotropic medications was nearly three times higher among 6-18 year olds in foster care than among youth in Medicaid overall. In response to PolicyLab’s research, DHS created an action plan to curb the overprescribing of psychotropic medications.
Learn more here: Pennsylvania Reduces Psychotropic Medication Use Among Medicaid-Enrolled Foster Children