Psychotropic medications prescribing patterns for children and adolescents in New York's Public Mental Health System

Context: Breakthroughs in the development of effective medications for a number of psychiatric disorders have led to increased use of these compounds in the treatment of children. Objectives: To understand the use of psychotropic medications in the treatment of children, a state-wide study was undertaken based on the data collected in a large planning study. Data and Setting: A stratified random sample of 10 different program types in New York State produced data on children served in different specialty mental health services. Participants: Randomly selected cases were reviewed at a randomly selected sites to generate a sample of 1592 cases on which data were collected on clinical presentation and service use, including psychotropic medication prescriptions. Main Outcome Measures: The Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS-MH) tool was used to provide a reliable review of clinical indicators. Results: Psychotropic medication use is common in the children's public mental health service system in New York. Most children served in high intensity settings receive medication as a part of their treatment. It appears that most prescriptions for stimulants and antidepressants are consistent with either diagnostic or symptom indications. Many children with these indications are not on medications. On the other hand, a large number of children without evidence of psychosis receive antipsychotic medications. Conclusion: The evidence suggests that stimulant and antidepressant are not over-prescribed. However, the use of antipsychotic medications for other indications is a priority for further research.