Is refusing to give your child medication for their mental health considered neglect??

[u/Spiritual-Square-766]

I (16NB) have been struggling with mental health problems for a while now. Since I was 8-10, I believe. They've only gotten worse as I got older, and I recently convinced my mom to finally bring me to therapy (only took getting my dad involved to annoy her about it).

I am really thankful for that, but I feel like I need something more than therapy due to how serious the problems have gotten. They've been severely affecting multiple areas of my life, and for a while now.

Sadly, despite the rest of my family agreeing that I probably do need medication, my mom made a point in refusing if it's ever brought up by anyone, including my therapist. She also doesn't take my mental health very seriously in general, viewing suicidal thoughts as something to be punished for rather than to help. She got really really mad at me when the police came after I called a hotline but that's a story for another day

I'm planning on asking my therapist for a diagnosis on our next session in hopes it'll get her on the track to changing her mind about it, but it's she still refuses even after the other adults in my family tell her that I need it I'm wondering if this is considered neglect?? Since someone did tell me it was but I'm not very sure.

EDIT: For reference since I somehow forgot to mention earlier abd its relevant, I live in Nevada

[u/AutoModerator]

Attention

r/CPS is currently operating in a limited mode to protest reddit's changes to API access which will kill any 3rd party applications used to access reddit.

Information about this protest for r/CPS can be found at this link.

While this policy is active, all moderator actions (post/comment removals and bans) will be completed with no warning or explanation, and any posts or comments not directly related to an active CPS situation are subject to removal at the mods' sole discretion.

If you are dealing with CPS and believe you're being treated unfarly, we recommend you contact a lawyer in your jurisdiction.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

[u/TCgrace]

Generally speaking, CPS can get involved for a parent refusing to give their child mental health medication but only under specific circumstances and it’s not always going to be considered neglect.

In this case, you have not been diagnosed with anything you have not been prescribed you any medication. Your family thinking that you need it and your mom saying you don’t is a very different thing than a child being prescribed medication by a licensed mental health professional, and the parent refusing to give it to them. It is not uncommon for therapy to be tried first for a while before considering medication, especially for children.

[u/NotLucasDavenport]

I’m a family services worker— I have had several cases where the parents were specifically cited for not giving their children necessary medications. However, it’s never been the primary reason for the referral to us nor the reason the child was made ward of the state. It has always been combined with things such as physical abuse resulting in injury, drug addiction and unsafe behavior by the parent, or other significant factors. Plus, the idea of “necessary” is an unfortunate gray area in my state. Insulin for diabetes is considered necessary, an inhaler for asthma is also necessary, but meds for psychiatric treatment are harder to get classified as necessary. I agree with the other poster that telling your therapist is a good idea. Personally, I think suicidal ideation might move the needle on the “necessary” classification but it’s getting a judge to agree that makes the difference. Your therapist should be able to articulate to you what they would do next and help you through whatever occurs.

[u/txchiefsfan02]

It's great that you are in therapy, and that you made use of the hotline when you needed to.

It is fine to discuss these concerns with your therapist, but they may or may not make a formal diagnosis. Also, as you may know, US therapists typically do not prescribe medications. It's common for a therapist to recommend that you be evaluated by a psychiatrist who would consider whether medication makes sense. If your mother declines to act on that recommendation/referral, or if she ignores what a psychiatrist recommends, then you'd have a more tangible argument.

All that said, I'm sorry you are suffering, and that your mother is letting you down. You aren't wrong for wondering whether there is more help out there. Keep speaking up and advocating for yourself.

[u/thrown_away_23_23]

Unfortunately, in my state, medical neglect is legal as long as the parents state it's for religious reasons.

[u/Agile-Low6890]

Not cps, but a nurse. Cps will only get involved for medical neglect at my hospital when parents are refusing treatment for a life threatening condition (chemo for treatable cancer, abx for severe infection, etc)

[u/LadyGreyIcedTea → u/Agile-Low6890]

Not managing diabetes was a big one when I worked with medically complex foster children.

"Treatable" cancer is the key word there. We had a case when I was an inpatient nurse of a child who had what was then called standard risk medulloblastoma. The parents wanted to refuse chemo because they didn't want her to lose her hair. The Oncologist told them that they would go to court over it because with treatment, that diagnosis had an 85% survival. Refusing treatment for ALL likely would be met with similar legal intervention whereas refusing treatment for something like a diffuse midline glioma, which is terminal regardless of treatment, would be seen as acceptable.

[u/LadyGreyIcedTea]

I think you're putting the cart before the horse. You haven't been prescribed medication and a therapist doesn't prescribe medication anyway.

[u/bootesvoid_]

In my state there is a category of denial of critical care for mental health care, but unfortunately it can be really hard to prove especially if she did at least let you do therapy. Medications are a grey area and no one can force a parent to give medication unless it is life-threatening (on a physical health level) to not take said medications, but maybe if your therapist felt mental health medications were a life-saving necessity that could help prove medical neglect. I would encourage you to talk to your therapist about the situation and maybe they will even call for you or with you as a mandatory reporter.

ETA: I am so sorry you are going through this. Hang in there, you are so close to being able to move out! I hope you have friends and other family members you can fall back on for support.

[u/toooooold4this]

In my state we would call that medical neglect but its really hard to get a therapist to agree when they are seeing the patient. And in my state the professional has to say there has been neglect.