Special Series

Medicated in Foster Care: Who’s Looking Out?

An Imprint review of all 50 states’ policies and class-action lawsuits across the country reveals spotty enforcement of federal requirements that child welfare agencies monitor psychotropic prescriptions for foster youth.

7/29/2025

A Researcher Took an Inside Look at Psychiatric Drug Prescribing for Foster Youth and One State’s Attempts at Oversight: Here’s What She Learned

Michael Fitzgerald

For two years, scholar Katie Gibson went inside settings where decisions to medicate foster youth are made.

3/26/2025

‘All I Did Was Sleep’: Despite Years of Damning Reports, States Across the Country Fail To Rein in Psych Meds for Foster Youth

Michael Fitzgerald

Part 1 of an Imprint series reveals spotty enforcement of federal requirements to monitor psychotropic prescriptions for foster youth.

3/27/2025

New York City Stands Out as a Rare Local Agency Tallying Foster Youth on Psychotropics. What Do the Numbers Reveal?

Michael Fitzgerald and Susanti Sarkar

New data offers rare insight into a long-running national public health concern: the frequent and sometimes haphazard prescribing of psychiatric drugs to foster youth. Part II of an ongoing series.

3/31/2025

Prescribing Psychiatric Drugs to California Foster Youth: ‘It’s the Job of All Who Are Involved’

Jeremy Loudenback

Antipsychotics prescribed to foster youth in California have shown a remarkable decline in the years since reform measures passed.

Federal Audit Shows Poor Record-keeping of Indiana’s Foster Youth on Psych Meds — and There are Many

4/1/2025

Zombies No More: Former Foster Youth Reflect on Their Medicated Childhoods — and New Ways They Heal 

Jeremy Loudenback

Four young adults speak to The Imprint about how psychotropic medication use affected their tumultuous childhoods in Los Angeles County.

4/30/2025

‘All I Wanted is To Be Healed’: Alternatives to Psych Meds for Foster Youth With Mental Health Issues

Sarah Henry, MindSite News

Therapists and former foster youth in California talk about what works to support healing — beyond psych meds.

5/15/2025

A Detailed Window Into State Policies on Psychotropic Prescribing

Michael Fitzgerald

See how each state child welfare agency monitors use of psych meds for its children and youth in government custody.