Children are being drugged simply because psychiatry has pathologized normal childhood behaviors, and repackaged them as “mental disorders.”
Following the news of the criminal investigation into a provider of foster care services, CCHR is renewing the call to investigate psych drugging of children.
CLEARWATER, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES, November 9, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ — The launching of a criminal investigation into Eckerd Connects for alleged child abuse and neglect, has spurred the Florida chapter for the Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) to renew their call for an investigation into the drugging of children in the foster care system. During a press conference, Sheriff Gualtieri announced his agency’s criminal investigation into Eckerd Connects, the company that was hired to provide foster care services throughout Florida, stating that, “the investigation stems from the sheriff’s office finding out last week that Eckerd was having kids live at their administrative offices in Largo.” [1]
“Having children sleeping under desks is just the tip of the iceberg,” according to the President for CCHR in Florida, Diane Stein. “The foster care system in Florida has been plagued with reports of abuse, deaths, suicides and heavy psychiatric drugging.”
In 2017, the story of 14-year-old Naika Venant committing suicide and broadcasting it on Facebook Live, sparked talks of investigations into the drugging of children in the foster care system. As reported by the Miami Herald, just 45 days before her suicide Naika’s dose of the antidepressant Zoloft had been doubled despite the fact that in 2004 the FDA had issued a warning against prescribing antidepressants to children because these drugs are linked to suicidal thoughts and suicides. [2]
The drugging of Florida’s foster children has been a recognized problem for years and resulted in policy changes following the tragic suicide of 7-year-old Gabriel Meyers, who was taking Lexapro, Zyprexa and Symbyax at the time of his death. Yet according to the Florida Institute on Child Welfare at Florida State University, 11 percent of children in state foster care had active prescriptions for at least one psychotropic drug as of July 2015. [3]
“A two-year investigation of foster children in Florida, Massachusetts, Michigan, Oregon and Texas found that these kids were prescribed psychotropic drugs at rates 2.7 to 4.5 times higher than other children,” stated Diane Stein. “While efforts have been made to stop this abuse, they are not enough and so we are asking that this situation be thoroughly investigated and real measures put in place to protect these children.” [4]
CCHR is asking for anyone who has knowledge of the abusive use of psychiatric drugs in the foster care system to report this abuse with full particulars and any documentary evidence by calling 727-442-8820 or online at www.cchrflorida.org.
About CCHR: Initially established by the Church of Scientology and renowned psychiatrist Dr. Thomas Szasz in 1969, CCHR’s mission is to eradicate abuses committed under the guise of mental health and enact patient and consumer protections. L. Ron Hubbard, founder of Scientology, first brought psychiatric imprisonment to wide public notice: “Thousands and thousands are seized without process of law, every week, over the ‘free world’ tortured, castrated, killed. All in the name of ‘mental health,’” he wrote in March 1969.
Sources:
[1] Foster kids lived in ‘disgusting and deplorable’ conditions at Eckerd offices, sheriff says https://www.wfla.com/8-on-your-side/eckerd-connects-pinellas-sheriff-to-announce-criminal-investigation-into-foster-care-services-company/
[2] Girl in Facebook Live hanging was prescribed drug with suicide warning
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article140244853.html
[3] Report finds Florida foster kids put on psychotropic drugs without following proper procedures http://www.orlandoweekly.com/Blogs/archives/2015/09/22/report-finds-florida-foster-kids-put-on-psychotropic-drugs-without-following-proper-procedures
[4] Foster Kids Given Psychiatric Drugs At Higher Rates http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2011/12/01/143017520/foster-kids-even-infants-more-likely-to-be-given-psychotropic-drugs
Diane Stein
Citizens Commission on Human Rights of Florida
+1 727-422-8820
email us here
