ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Phoenix, Arizona
parents; schools;
psychotropic drugs
Clarifies that a parent’s refusal to administer or consent to the
administration of any psychotropic medication to the child does not constitute
abuse or neglect.
The Department of Economic Security
(DES) guidelines for substantiating an allegation of neglect requires a Child
Protective Services (CPS) specialist to find probable cause that a parent’s
actions resulted in substantial risk of harm to the child’s health or welfare.
CPS policy specifies that the failure to
provide psychotropic medications to a child is not considered neglect, medical
neglect or abuse. Psychotropic medications are a class of drugs prescribed to
persons whose symptoms are diagnosed as psychologically based. Currently a CPS
specialist must find evidence of substantial risk to a child to substantiate an
allegation, and evidence of imminent danger to the child is necessary to remove
a child from the home.
1. States that a parent, guardian or custodian’s refusal to administer any psychotropic medication to the child does not constitute abuse or neglect.
2. States that a parent, guardian or custodian’s refusal to consent to the administration of any psychotropic medication to the child does not constitute abuse or neglect.
3. Provides for a general effective date.
3rd Read 3/21/02 35-22-3-0
Prepared by Senate Staff
April 15, 2002