Legislature needs to help foster kids

A devastating report by the California State Auditor’s Office on the abysmal oversight of psychotropic medications prescribed to foster children should be required reading for the governor and Legislature as they consider a package of reforms.

The state has a moral and legal obligation to ensure that its wards receive appropriate care, not unnecessary or excessive medication. The audit confirms the reporting in the Bay Area News Group’s ongoing series, “Drugging Our Kids,” that California is failing miserably at this.

Three bills in the Legislature would give California some of the strongest foster youth protection in the nation. They should become law.

Carmel Sen. Bill Monning’s SB 253 would create a more rigorous court review of prescribing powerful psychotropic drugs to foster children. San Jose Sen. Jim Beall’s SB 1291 would improve tracking and transparency of mental health services for foster kids. Healdsburg Sen. Mike McGuire’s SB 1174 is drawing the most attention: It calls for annual monitoring of highprescribing doctors and empowers the California Medical Association to revoke licenses of violators.

The 131-page audit leaves no doubt about the system’s shortcomings. Nearly 12 percent of foster children were prescribed psychotropic medications during fiscal year 2015-16, a significantly higher rate than other children.

State Auditor Elaine Howle’s summary notes:

“Some foster children were prescribed psychotropic medications in amounts and dosages that exceeded state guidelines, and counties did not follow up with prescribers to ensure the appropriateness of these prescriptions.”

“Many foster children did not receive follow-up visits or recommended psychosocial services in conjunction with their prescriptions for psychotropic medications.”

“Counties did not always obtain required court or parental approval for psychotropic medications prescribed to foster children as required by law.”

“The (state’s) data systems together cannot completely identify which foster children are prescribed psychotropic medications.”

As McGuire told the Bay Area News Group’s Tracy Seipel, “It’s obvious from this audit that too many have known about this broken system for too long, and it’s appalling.”

The report includes some recommendations that the departments of Health Care Services and Social Services have agreed to implement, but the three bills before the Legislature are still necessary to protect kids.

California’s 79,000 foster children face horrific odds. Statistically, their likelihood of success in life is far below average. Many end up homeless or in jail. Some do need mental health treatment. But the state has to ensure that the treatment is for their benefit, not compounding their handicaps.