25% of Colorado foster kids on psychotropic

http://gazette.com/25-of-colorado-foster-kids-on-psychotropic/article/1518172

25% of Colorado foster kids on psychotropic
Associated Press • Published: April 13, 2014

DENVER — A University of Colorado analysis found that more than 25 percent of Colorado's foster children in 2012 were prescribed psychotropic drugs and that about half of the children who were taking antipsychotics drugs were for "off-label" reasons not approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration.

The Denver Post (http://bit.ly/1hxyWlz ) reported on Sunday that foster children took antipsychotics at a rate 12 times greater than other children on government insurance. About 4,300 of Colorado's 16,800 foster children were prescribed psychotropic drugs in 2012, according to CU school of pharmacy analysis of Medicaid claims that was obtained by the newspaper through a public records request.

Officials said more foster children have suffered trauma in their lives and are in need of medication. Critics say the drugs basically "zombie-fy" kids.

State health officials are moving to more closely monitor children who have no diagnosis of bipolar disorder, schizophrenia or other psychosis but have been prescribed "off-label" use of psychotropic drugs. State officials said out-of-date technology issues make it difficult to tell whether patients have a diagnosis.