Citizens Commission on Human Rights of Florida (CCHR Florida)

Foster children need compassion better than medication

Children in state care have lost everything: their families, their security and their identity, so it’s natural for them to be sad, depressed and angry against their circumstances.

Instead of listening to the abandonment hurt, modern medicine offers a way out which allows grown ups not to have to even look at such intense pain: medication. In the worst possible situation, children are “managed” using powerful mind-altering drugs designed and prescribed to adults.

(more…)

DCF looks to fix drug problem

The head of Florida’s child welfare agency vowed to carry out and put dollars behind recommendations in a recent report that shows officials have often ignored years-old guidelines on medicating children in state care.

Last week, the Department of Children and Families released a final report from a panel that investigated the death of a 7-year-old Broward County foster child, who hanged himself, and the system’s use of psychotropic medications. (more…)

Many people have questions as to their human rights when it comes to involuntary commitment, especially the involuntary commitment of children into psychiatric wards and facilities.

While The Citizens Commission on Human Rights of Florida, does not give legal or medical advice, the following information will help to answer some of the frequently asked questions and will be referenced for the reader’s convenience.

General and important information regarding involuntary commitment and psychiatry

Per “The Florida Senate Interim Project Report 2006-103, “Part I of Chapter 394, F.S., The Florida Mental Health Act also known as ‘the Baker Act’ governs the examination, admission, and treatment of persons for mental illnesses. Although for purposes of involuntary examination, the Baker Act does not differentiate between children and adults, several sections of Chapter 394, F.S., refer specifically to minors.”

This Interim report admits that “unclear and sometimes conflicting interpretations of the Baker Act as it relates to children have evolved over time.”  At the time this report was written, a recommendation was made for the Florida Legislature to conduct a study of the legal rights of children under the Baker Act, as was recommended by the Supreme Court Commission on Fairness in 1999”.

Initially the Baker Act was enacted into Legislature in 1971 “in order provide emergency admission for evaluation of persons who because of a mental illness were likely to physically injure self or others.”

The original intent of the Baker Act has been altered to suit the vested interests of the psychiatric community. (more…)

Involuntary commitment is a subject that most families think will never enter their lives.

Mental health screening questions are intrusive and have no evidence of helping children.

Unfortunately, all too many families in Florida, find themselves in the tough position of not knowing what their rights are.
 
One Florida mom found out, the hard way! (more…)

YouTube video featuring Dr. Peter Breggin and other specialists.  Some of the highlights include:

Q.  “How many of our children should be on these drugs?” 

A. “None of them!”

“You tell me what a 6 month psychotic child looks like?” (re: infant on Risperdal)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73SRn1gdAdM

Help stop psychiatric harm and abuse of children.

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PLACING OUR CHILDREN IN THE HANDS OF PSYCHIATRY

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Subcommittees in the House and Senate have worked on two versions of the Health Care Reform act. Senators and Representatives will use the August recess to gauge the opinion of their constituents about the proposed legislation.

President Obama has said he wants a bill on his desk for signature before the end of this year. The bills are essentially similar. Both would require over $1 trillion dollars in funding, to be paid for by some forms of tax increases.

It is vital that you quickly let your elected representatives know that you do not want a Health Care Reform act that increases the power and control by psychiatrists over our children.

Because that is exactly what these bills would do. This is how:

SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CLINICS
Up to $5 billion per year would go to school-based health clinics for mental-health screening, crisis intervention, treatment, counseling and referral to emergency psychiatric care. This would:

· Greatly increase the number of children on psychotropic drugs. if parents were to object to such medication, they can find themselves accused of neglect. (more…)

 MedWatch

Written by Mental Health Advocate and Executive Director of The Citizens Commission on Human Rights of Florida

Laurie Anspach

Psychiatry would have us believe that children can be justifiably used as guinea pigs for their experimental use of mind-altering drugs.  The Black Box warning that is placed on some of these psychotropic drugs is a FDA label that warns consumers of the risk of suicide when taking the drugs. (more…)

Florida’s mental health system for foster kids relies far too often on drugs, with little oversight, according to a draft report on the suicide of 7-year-old Gabriel Myers.

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/southflorida/story/1183698.html

BY CAROL MARBIN MILLER

cmarbin@MiamiHerald.com

Many of you may have been watching the Florida newspapers recently and seen the article that spoke about two parents who just adopted two children.  They came forward on the day that Governor Crist was talking about adoption.  The two parents were appalled at how many psychotropic drugs the children were on when adopted.  If anyone has similar concerns, please contact our office at 800-782-2878 or email info@cchrflorida.org. (The Citizens Commission on Human Rights of Florida).  Here is the article about these two parents and their children:
http://www2.tbo.com:80/content/2009/jul/22/concerns-over-drugs-and-foster-children-cloud-adop/news-breaking/