Dr. Maddex
380:27
Class #16
Prevent Doctors from Drugging Foster Kids
Introduction
I. Attention getter: Tisha Ortiz was abused as a foster kid throughout her childhood. With the neglect she faced in her group home, it was only natural that she ended up having behavioral issues. In her statement, given to the ABC 10 website on October 20, 2016, Ortiz explains that as a foster child she was over-prescribed with drugs and had no say over what was being given to her. Ortiz is not the only one.
II. Thesis/ Introduce the Subject: Legal action needs to be taken to prevent doctors from overdosing foster children.
III. Relevance to audience: According to an article published to the NPR website on August 16, 2016, roughly 265 …show more content…
Now, I am going to talk about the second problem, which is the psychological and health effects foster children face when doctors over medicate them.
According to an article published on August 13, 2016 to High Beam Research, there are many effects of overdosing foster children such as heart problems, tremors, insomnia and other health side effects.
An article published by Spark Action, last accessed November 14, 2016, discusses how foster children experience a diminished ability to concentrate, fatalistic thoughts about the future, poor attachment behavior, and a higher tendency towards becoming an alcoholic or drug addict.
The previously mentioned article published by Spark Action also mentions that a majority of state child-welfare agencies do not have the necessary resources to identify and treat the issues the foster youth face.
Transition Statement: Next, I am going to tell you how the government and the public can prevent doctors from drugging foster children.
II. …show more content…
Although each state is required to oversee and monitor the use of psychotropic medications under the Federal Child and Family Services Improvement and Innovation Act of 2011, before passing this bill, California had no legal requirements to monitor the prescribing of psych drugs to the foster youth according to the October 14, 2016 article published to the Western Communications website.
The California State Senate Majority Caucus Government website publishes an article on June 22, 2016 states that McGuire’s Bill will establish a formal, ongoing process so that the medical board has to evaluate, review, and investigate the patterns of the psychotropic medications outside the standard of care, which will diminish the imbalance found between private and foster care system complaint rates.
This bill will ensure that these children will be protected and the doctors will be accountable.
Washington, Illinois, and Ohio have already implemented regulation laws of a standard oversight practice and results have proven a 25% decrease in dangerous prescribing practices according to the previously mentioned California State Senate Majority Caucus Government