Experts and youth in Los Angeles County debate psychotropic medication use and access to substance‑use treatment for system‑involved youth

On a recent episode of the Talk to Me podcast, clinicians, county child‑welfare officials and young people with lived experience discussed the use of psychotropic medications and access to substance‑use treatment for youth in Los Angeles County foster care and juvenile justice settings.

The conversation centered on three linked concerns: identifying substance use accurately, ensuring psychotropic medications are prescribed for clinical need rather than to control behavior, and improving access to medications that reduce overdose risk for youth with opioid use disorder. "Vigilance is one of the key words for everybody," Michael Nash, executive director of the Los Angeles County Office of Child Protection and a former juvenile court judge, said, arguing that judges and practitioners must closely review diagnoses and monitoring information before approving medications.

Why it matters: Los Angeles County handles a large population of system‑involved youth and, according to Nash, processes exist to check psychotropic…