A selection of The Imprint’s most impactful stories from the past year
Led by reporter Michael Fitzgerald, The Imprint’s team investigation “Medicated in Foster Care: Who’s Looking Out?” examined policies in all 50 states around the use of psychotropic drugs to treat the mental health needs of youth in foster care. It found spotty enforcement of federal requirements that child welfare agencies to monitor psychotropic prescriptions for foster youth.
The lack of oversight, experts say, can lead to use of the drug in situations where they might not be warranted.
“They’re just not allowed to have a bad day,” said Cassandra Simmel, a social work professor at Rutgers University whose research has involved interviewing foster youth across the country about consent, mental health and medication. “‘We have a bad day, that means we get put on medication.’ Those kinds of stories I’ve been hearing for 30 years.”
This series is the winner of the 2025 INN Award for Explanatory Journalism.
“This series is groundbreaking work that tackles a difficult subject in depth,” a judge said. Another judge praised the reporting and urged The Imprint to continue reporting on the topic “because getting impact for these kids matters.”
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