Citizens Commission on Human Rights of Florida (CCHR Florida)

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Miami Herald
FLORIDA LEGISLATURE
Regulations sought for foster kids prescribed psychiatric drugs
March 2, 2010

In the wake of a Broward child’s death, state lawmakers will consider a bill designed to make it harder for child welfare workers to use mental health drugs to control foster kids.

BY CAROL MARBIN MILLER

Florida lawmakers will once again consider a measure to rein in the use of psychiatric drugs among foster children in the wake of last year’s death of a 7-year-old Broward boy who was on a cocktail of mood-altering drugs. (more…)

Miami Herald

Foster kids, prescriptions — finally alarm

October 10, 2009

By FRED GRIMM

Gabriel Myers finally matters.
Too late for him — the foster kid we addled with anti-depressants and anti-psychotics without quite knowing the effects drug cocktails might have on a 7-year-old.

 
One potential side effect of feeding Lexapro, Zyprexa and Symbyax to a 67-pound child became grotesquely obvious. Young Gabriel coiled a shower hose around his neck and hanged himself in the bathroom of his Miramar foster home. (more…)

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Florida Times Union

Florida foster kids slower to get medications now

The new rules come after a 7-year-old boy hanged himself in April.

Thursday, Oct. 15, 2009

By Brandon Larrabee

TALLAHASSEE – New practices after the death of a 7-year-old foster child who took psychiatric medications have slowed the flow of the drugs to children in state care, local health-care providers say. Whether those changes are for the better is a contentious question.

The renewed attention to so-called psychotropic drugs comes in the wake of the hanging death of Gabriel Myers of Fort Lauderdale, whose apparent suicide in April led to an ongoing examination by the Department of Children & Families. His death sparked promises by lawmakers to strengthen laws aimed at preventing the overuse of the medications by foster children. (more…)