Seroquel is a powerful anti-psychotic drug prescribed for people with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. On the streets it’s called Susie Q, Squirrel or Quell.  At D.C. Youth Rehabilitative Services (DYRS) it’s called a sleeping pill. Story. Story. Story.

When the city’s director of youth rehabilitation services, Vincent N. Schiraldi, said he was going to change the  culture of D.C.’s Youth Rehabilitative services to one that’s more therapeutic — we didn’t think he meant putting the kids on powerful anti-psychotic drugs for sleep and mood disorders. 

  

The staff then leaked to the press that the administration was prescribing anti-psychotic drugs to the children as a method of sedation presumably in part as a substitute for hands on intervention.

 

National Mental Health and Disability Groups are receiving and being investigated for receiving up to 56% of their budget from pharmaceutical companies. 

 

Of course they are going to advocate against the use of restraint. Especially when physical restraint is being substituted by chemical restraint and a long-term addiction to pharmaceuticals.  DYRS has a disproportionate number of disadvantaged youths at its facilities.  

 

Article by: Colbert I. King an afro-american op-ed columist for the Washington Post.. 

 

 

 

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