After out-of-home mental health treatment: atypical antipsychotic medication use and the probability of returning to treatment.

Florida Medicaid claims data were used to assess antipsychotic medication use among children after therapeutic out-of-home mental health treatment. Fifty percent of youth received antipsychotics after the treatment episode, but differences exist across age, gender, and racial groups. Utilization was higher among males and youth ages 6-12, while blacks were less likely to be prescribed antipsychotics than whites. Youth receiving antipsychotics were less likely to return to out-of-home treatment within 6 months. However, among youth receiving antipsychotic medications, a higher medication possession ratio was not associated with the likelihood of returning to treatment. Such patterns require further investigation to determine whether they indicate inadequate treatment for some youth.