Psychotropic Drugging of Children

WHEREAS, individuals, especially children, can be controlled by physical and chemical means; and

WHEREAS, "child endangerment" refers to an act or omission that causes children distress through psychological, emotional or physical abuse and the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) defines "child abuse and neglect" as meaning, "at a minimum, any recent act or failure to act," which "results in death, serious physical or emotional harm"; and

WHEREAS, children and adolescents are prescribed psychotropic drugs with known side effects that can include stroke, diabetes, pancreatitis, obesity, and a variety of these drugs targeted towards the central nervous system are associated with cardiac issues, including arrhythmia and sudden death, while some of the drugs are likely to cause suicidal thoughts, and are linked to suicides and other deaths; and

WHEREAS, persons of color are overrepresented in high poverty areas and an analysis of national Medicaid claims for foster youth found 49% were on antipsychotics and 48% were on antidepressants, despite a "black box" warning – the Food and Drug Administration's most serious drug labeling -that antidepressants may Increase the risk of suicidal thinking and behavior in children, adolescents, and young adults.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) will work with advocates to oppose the misdiagnosis and over-prescription of psychotropic drugs for children, including children falling within the authority of Children and Family Services, Child Protective Services, Foster Care, and the Juvenile detention and probation systems; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that the NAACP urges all governmental jurisdictions (local, state and federal), that fund or support Children and Family Services, Child Protective Services, Foster Care, and the Juvenile detention and probation agencies/systems, to adopt rules and regulations that protect children and youth from misdiagnosis and over-prescription of psychotropic drugs that can result in physical abuse and cause injury or endangerment to a child's health.