Wednesday, November 24, 2004

Another Really Bad Idea

An attempt by Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, to add language to the omnibus spending bill in Congress to require parental consent for any mental-health screening done to children with federal money has failed.

"None of the funds made available for State Incentive Grants for Transformation should be used for any programs of mandatory or universal mental-health screening that performs mental-health screening on anyone under 18 years of age without the express, written permission of the parents or legal guardians of each individual
involved."

Though Paul had support from House leadership for the language, senators who were part of the conference committee overseeing the final bill did not want it added.
Critics of the mental-health screening plan say it is a thinly veiled attempt by drug companies to provide a wider market for high-priced antidepressants and antipsychotic medication, and puts government in areas of Americans' lives where it does not belong.
This is such a bad idea. These labels stick with a person their entire life. Suppose they are mislabeled and can't get a decent job when they get older? What if the right is taken away from parents and they are required to medicate their kids even if it's unnecessary?

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