Pennsylvania Department of Human Services’ Recommendations Regarding Appropriate Use & Monitoring Of Psychotropic Medications Prescribed For Children

In 2012 in Pennsylvania, for children ages 6-18 years old, the use of antipsychotics was over four times higher (216 per 1,000) for youth in foster care than youth in Medicaid (approximately 52 per 1,000). The overall use of psychotropic medications was nearly three times higher among youth in foster care (424 per 1,000) than youth in Medicaid (161 per 1,000). In this document released in June 2015, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services outlined its plans for reducing the overall use of psychotropics with children in Medicaid, and for ensuring that psychotropics, antipsychotics in . . .