The Effect of Mandatory-Access Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs on Foster Care Admissions

Abstract

This study estimates the effect of mandatory prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) on child removals. To identify the effects of the programs on foster care admissions, we exploit the variation across states in the timing of adoption of operational and mandatory PDMPs using an event-study approach, as well as standard difference-in-difference models. We find that operational PDMP did not have any significant effects on foster care admissions. However, the introduction of mandatory provisions reduced child removals by 10 percent. These effects are driven by the reductions in first removals and are strongest among children of young caregivers and white children.