Report 2015-131 Recommendation Responses
Report 2015-131: California's Foster Care System: The State and Counties Have Failed to Adequately Oversee the Prescription of Psychotropic Medications to Children in Foster Care (Release Date: August 2016)
Recommendation for Legislative Action
To improve the State's oversight of physicians who prescribe psychotropic medications to foster children, the Legislature should require the Medical Board to analyze Health Care Services' and Social Services' data in order to identify physicians who may have inappropriately prescribed psychotropic medications to foster children. If this initial analysis successfully identifies such physicians, the Legislature should require the Medical Board to periodically perform the same or similar analyses in the future. Further, the Legislature should require Health Care Services and Social Services to provide periodically to the Medical Board the data necessary to perform these analyses.
Description of Legislative Action
SB 1174 (Chapter 840, Statutes of 2016), until January 1, 2027, requires Health Care Services and Social Services, pursuant to a data-sharing agreement, to provide the Medical Board with information regarding Medi-Cal physicians and their prescribing patterns of psychotropic medications and related services for foster children. Every 5 years, the Medical Board, Health Care Services, and Social Services must consult and revise the methodology. Further the Medical Board is required to contract for consulting services from, if available, a psychiatrist who has expertise and specializes in pediatric care for the purpose of reviewing the data. The Medical Board is required to report annually to the Legislature, Health Care Services, and Social Services the results of the analysis of the data. Until January 1, 2027, the Medical Board is required to review the data in order to determine if any potential violations of law or excessive prescribing of psychotropic medications inconsistent with the standard of care exist and, if warranted, conduct an investigation and take disciplinary action.
- Legislative Action Current As-of: September 2019
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Legislation Enacted
Description of Legislative Action
The Legislature has not taken action to address this specific recommendation.
- Legislative Action Current As-of: August 2018
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: No Action Taken
Description of Legislative Action
Legislation has not been introduced to address this specific recommendation.
- Legislative Action Current As-of: December 2017