Category Archives: Jacksonville Observer

The Jacksonville Observer News Service of Florida A 7-year-old Margate boy being treated with powerful psychotropic drugs may not have intentionally killed himself last spring when he hanged himself by a shower hose in his foster family’s home, a medical … Continue reading →

Jacksonville Observer News Service of Florida A panel of lawmakers is exploring remedies to shortfalls at the Department of Children and Families that led to the apparent suicide of a 7-year-old Margate boy last spring and rampant use of high … Continue reading →

Jacksonville Observer News Service of Florida Despite recent critical reports, Department of Children and Families Secretary George Sheldon said this week that he is convinced the beleaguered agency is beginning to change a long-engrained culture. A recently-completed internal report raises … Continue reading →

Jacksonville Observer A draft report written by a work group investigating the April 2009 suicide of a Margate boy says children in state care are often being given mind-altering drugs for behavioral problems instead of being treated. The draft report, … Continue reading →

The Jacksonville Observer Austin Cassidy A Department of Children and Families report has found that 2,669 Florida foster kids – just over 13 percent of children in the system – are on psychotropic drugs. The report comes as a result … Continue reading →