TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, the Agency for Health Care Administration (Agency) announced continued improvements in nursing homes, specifically in reducing the use of antipsychotic drugs for long-stay nursing home residents.

Since the end of 2011, the use of antipsychotic drugs in Florida has fallen by nearly 10 percent. According to federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Florida has not only moved ahead of the national average overall, but also experienced one of the biggest declines in the use of these medications in the country. CMS has launched a national partnership to improve dementia care in nursing homes and lessen the prevalence of antipsychotic medications. The overall mission of the partnership is to increase the use of person-centered practices rather than using pharmaceuticals.