August 20, 2009

Report of Gabriel Myers Work Group

The Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) charged the Gabriel Myers Work Group with comprehensively analyzing issues related to systemic problems that could have contributed to the April 2009 suicide of Gabriel Myers, a seven-year child in foster care taking psychotropic medications for behavioral problems. The Work Group found that DCF has no standardized, comprehensive on-going statewide program to train caregivers and case workers on issues related to psychotropic medications. The agency itself lacks a plan for monitoring children taking psychotropic medications and DCF training, last conducted in 2004-2005, was not comprehensive and has not been systematically sustained for newly-hired personnel within the child welfare system.