Illinois Public Act 097-0245, signed into law on 4 August 2011, creates the Administration of Psychotropic Medications to Children Act, requiring the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS)Â to create and publish rules establishing and maintaining standards and procedures to govern the administration of psychotropic medications to children in its care.
Recognizing that drugging children under state care has been problematic, one of the provisions of this law prohibits the administration of psychotropic medications to persons for whom the Department is legally responsible as punishment for bad behavior, for the convenience of staff or caregivers, or as a substitute for adequate mental health care or other services.
Furthermore, DCFS must identify the name and dosage of psychotropic drugs administered to children along with any negative side effects.
This is a positive step forward for Illinois. Other states should seriously consider implementing safeguards against harmful child drugging by their respective Children and Family Services departments.
We also suggest supporting the federal Parental Consent Act introduced by Congressman Ron Paul, a bill which prohibits federal funds from being used to establish or implement any universal or mandatory mental health, psychiatric, or socioemotional screening program.
Model Legislation to prevent a range of psychiatric abuses should also be distributed to your state representatives, urging them to incorporate these safeguards against psychiatric fraud and abuse into your state laws.