Trump administration must stop giving psychotropic drugs to migrant children without consent, judge

[demmiblue]

Source: WaPo

A federal judge on Monday found that U.S. government officials have been giving psychotropic medication to migrant children at a Texas facility without first seeking the consent of their parents or guardians, in violation of state child welfare laws.

U.S. District Judge Dolly Gee in Los Angeles ordered the Trump administration to obtain consent or a court order before administering any psychotropic medications to migrant children, except in cases of dire emergencies. She also ordered that the government move all children out of a Texas facility, Shiloh Residential Treatment Center in Manvel, except for children deemed by a licensed professional to pose a “risk of harm” to themselves or others.

Staff members at Shiloh admitted to signing off on medications in lieu of a parent, relative or legal guardian, according to Gee’s ruling. Government officials defended this practice, saying they provided these drugs only on “an emergency basis” when a child’s “extreme psychiatric symptoms” became dangerous.

The judge didn’t buy this explanation, pointing to testimony from children who said they were given pills “every morning and every night.” Officials “could not have possibly” administered medications to children on an emergency basis every day, Gee wrote.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2018/07/31/trump-administration-must-seek-consent-before-giving-drugs-to-migrant-children-judge-rules/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.e3eccfb63478

[marble falls]

1. Especially since the WH and Congress have a far greater and REAL need for all the psychotropic ....

and anti-psychotic drugs we can get to them. As well as being separated from their families and being rounded up and put into cages.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

25. That was my thought as well

[marble falls]

26. If we can't get control back as much as we should this Nov - I will move to Monteal.

[2naSalit]

2. This give more fuel to the idea

that this is a mass human trafficking operation. They want these kids to become zombies so that they can be exploited with impunity and in secret. If nobody in power can trace them, they don't exist. Wonder who is making bank on that aspect of this. A completely subsidized human trafficking ring in the US, let that sink in.

I'm glad they are being exposed. I have been ashamed of my nationality for some time now, it only seems to increase in intensity these last couple years.

[IronLionZion]

5. That's dark and disturbing

I really hope that's not what's happening. But considering their idiotic promotion of pizzagate, it's possible they were projecting their own deviant secrets. Nothing would surprise me from this administration.

[Hortensis]

20. The trafficking is to foster care and on to adoptions,

not to brothels. It's genuinely evil, yes, and inevitably bad things will happen to a few children due to negligence in the system, but no one'll be eating children's faces. It started with the need to provide for unaccompanied immigrant children and others without family to care for them.

Like for-profit prisons, these facilities contract with the government and are paid by the head and by specific contracted services provided. My guess is adoptions are more lucrative than foster care.

And I think we can assume, even if not proven yet, that religion-related facilities like the DeVos family one imagine that they are bringing the children torn from their parents to god by placing them with families of their own religion.

DeVos could also be foreseeing a shortage of domestic care workers. Fascist types who think state universities should turn out workers for state industry and shouldn't bother providing liberal arts courses might well see brown-skinned immigrant children as meeting local labor needs also.

Makes me wish there were a hell.

[2naSalit]

23. Humans get trafficked for reasons

other than sex, like some of the things you mentioned, they are still going to be exploited.

[Monsieur_Grumpe]

3. In any other administration...

..there would be people fired for the way these kids are being treated. I have not heard of anyone being held responsible for this horror.

[cannabis_flower]

4. So now...

they will coerce the parents into giving permission...

[lsewpershad]

6. The judge

should ensure this is done. Judgement remains just words without action (execution)

[2naSalit]

24. I heard on some news

program yesterday that the/a judge ordered an independent observer to go and watch these places while the other order is being carried out.

[Ferrets are Cool]

7. Outright child abuse. And kidnapping in the most base form.

I hate this administration with the heat of 1M suns.

[Mc Mike]

15. They're making money pushing illegal drugs.

Drug pushers, drug dealers.

[Achilleaze]

8. Destroying the families. Drugging the children. Freaking republicans are...

up to so much evil shit.

[2naSalit]

10. It's not like most of them

are trying to hide it anymore, they are empowered now.

[mcar]

9. I want there to be a hell so these people can burn in it

[mahatmakanejeeves]

11. This practice raises some issues about medical ethics.

Who is actually, physically, administering the medications? RN, LPN, PA, MD -- doesn't matter. He or she has sworn an oath to "first do no harm." He or she should be refusing to administer the meds.

Full disclosure: I am not medical personnel.

[tom_kelly]

17. This administration acts like

there will never be Democratic control again. This has me concerned. Is it just greed behind their decisions or confidence?

The ones carrying out the “orders” will be the first ones thrown under the bus. How are they being assured and by whom? As for the administration of drugs to the children, I don’t think people like these are concerned with the laws of how they are to be administered. Pay some people enough and they’ll do it regardless of law or qualifications.

[Ilsa]

22. I tend to agree with you.

There should be very little of this going on without parental consent. Anyone with a license should recognize when a doctor's order is either illegal, unethical, or likely to do harm. The Boards of Nursing in each state should be all over this.

[bitterross]

12. And who is going to enforce the ruling? The perpetrators?

Who really thinks they're going to listen to the judge? A few of these people may stop. But they are, generally, a bunch of cretins in the first place. I have no confidence this ruling will be followed.

[DallasNE]

13. Why Aren't People Going To Jail Over This?

It is not legal so where are the consequences? That is the only way to stop the lawlessness. I would start with Sessions.

[c-rational]

14. This story disgusts me. I do not understand how we as a country could do it. There needs to be

more moral outrage and righteous indignation. I am calling my Senator now.

[LakeArenal]

16. You wouldn't think you'd need a judge.

When Evangelicals redefined “their” bible,

“ Suffer the little children” got a whole new meaning.

You godless, soulless shells of humanity make me hate you and your god.

Burn in hell that you supposedly believe in.

[Dopers_Greed]

18. When you read headlines like this, remember...

Every person who said Clinton would be "just as evil"

[BarbD]

19. Isn't there any way the Dems can push for congressional hearings on this?

There is so much corruption and evil here. Someone must be held accountable.

[Shrike47]

21. This is profound child abuse.