JEFFERSON CITY – Missouri officials have made the final payment in a lawsuit that seeks to change the way powerful psychotropic drugs are given to children in the state’s foster programs.
Documents released this month by the Missouri Attorney General’s office show that the state cut a $3.4 million check to a national nonprofit that was part of a settlement reached in December 2019.
organization, child rights, was one of several groups that filed suit in 2017 On behalf of five children aged 2-14, who claimed that Missouri had overused drugs on foster children and exposed them to “an unreasonable risk of serious physical and psychological harm.”
The class-action suit states that antipsychotics were being used to treat diagnoses such as conduct disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. The groups also said that proper records were not being kept, meaning that children were sometimes given multiple psychotropic drugs at the same time. The suit states that the use of the drugs carries the risk of “psychosis, seizures, degenerative movement disorder, suicidal thoughts, aggression, weight gain, organ damage and other life-threatening conditions.”
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Court records show that the payment will include fees and expenses for legal action by children’s rights.
When the lawsuit was filed, the groups said that drugs were being given to about 30% of the state’s 13,000 foster care children.
The agreement says all children will now receive a psychotropic medication at least every three months and a mental health assessment before being prescribed “monitoring appointments.” The Children’s Department must obtain “informed consent” from the child’s case manager in consultation with the parent or other authorized decision makers.
The agreement also directed the state to reform its medical records system.
Documents from the attorney general’s office show that the money came from the state’s General Revenue Fund to pay the settlement.
Originally posted on Tuesday, March 8th at 9:55am.