Abstract
Prior research has raised concern about the appropriateness of psychotropic medication use and the validity of psychiatric diagnosing for youth in child welfare but has lacked in-depth case information. This study reports results from a psychiatric nurse review conducted with eight youth entering a foster care intervention using case records and multiple key informant interviews. Results revealed extensive histories of unique (nonoverlapping) psychiatric diagnoses (M = 8, range 7-9) and past psychotropic medications (M = 13, range 9-21). The findings highlight the need to improve assessment practices and to create mechanisms that promote greater continuity of psychiatric care.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 27-43 |
Number of pages | 17 |
Journal | Child welfare |
Volume | 90 |
Issue number | 3 |
State | Published - 2011 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Medicine