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Additional Lawsuit Filed on Behalf of Foster Care Children in New England

A group of child advocacy groups is suing the state of Maine over its use of psychotropic drugs for children in foster care.

The lawsuit comes a day after one of the groups, Children's Rights, Inc., filed a lawsuit against the state of New Hampshire over its treatment of older foster children living in group homes.

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Theclass action lawsuit filed in Maine alleges that children there are being harmed or at "unreasonable risk of serious harm" because of how psychotropic medications are prescribed and monitored, and how medical records are maintained.

The lawsuit references a 2018 report by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, that listed both Maine and New Hampshire as having some of the highest rates of foster care kids receiving prescription medications without adequate safeguards.

Sarah Gibson joined NHPR's newsroom in 2018. She reports on education and demographics.
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