Kentucky panel reports child overdoses doubled in five years
A new Kentucky report shows child overdose deaths have increased significantly over the past five years.
Kentucky panel reports child overdoses doubled in five years
Robert Fields | WVOW News
FRANKFORT The state's Child Fatality and Near Fatality External Review Panel reported Monday that overdose deaths among children have doubled during that period, with children under four facing the greatest risk of accidental drug ingestion.
The report found cannabinoids, fentanyl and amphetamines were the substances most often involved in child exposures, with fentanyl responsible for the most deaths. Of the fatal cases reviewed by the panel, 64% of those children were exposed to fentanyl. When analyzing the types of substances ingested, the panel reports the rate of cannabinoid exposure to children in Kentucky has increased 720% in the last five years.
Current regulations in the commonwealth around the packaging and sale of cannabis products do require the use of child-resistant packaging. The issue, according to the panel, is that the term “child-resistant” is not strictly defined in medical cannabis regulations.
Reviewers documented 11 child overdose deaths and urged stronger child-resistant packaging requirements, warning labels for cannabis products and expanded public education efforts.
The panel also encouraged families to use medication lockboxes to securely store both prescription medications and other potentially dangerous substances away from children.
The panel also looked into physical abuse cases across the five-year period starting in Fiscal Year 2020 and stretching through Fiscal Year 2024. That investigation revealed an increase on that front, as well, researchers documenting a 31% increase in physical abuse cases, from 42 in FY2023 to 55 in FFY2024. Of those 55 cases in 2024, 42 were considered near fatalities and 13 did result in the death of the child.
Substance abuse in the home was present in 67% of physical abuse cases, with impaired caregivers noted in 22%. Parents with substance use disorders are nearly three times more likely to physically abuse their children. The Administration for Children and Families identifies six critical touchpoints for addressing substance use: screening, education, prevention strategies, referral to treatment, coordination with providers, and case management. The panel recommends that treatment programs continue to reduce the wait times for treatment and urges expanding the requirements for mental health assessments alongside substance use treatment.
Kentucky requires its Child Fatality and Near Fatality External Review Panel to publish an annual report by February 1 of each year consisting of case reviews, findings, and recommendations for system and process improvements to help prevent child fatalities and near fatalities that are due to abuse and neglect. The multidisciplinary panel is comprised of twenty-two professionals from the medical, social services, mental health, legal, law enforcement, and other professions who work on behalf of Kentucky’s children.
Read the full report at the Kentucky Justice and Public Safety Cabinet's website.
