[2006alum]

She sought care at the University's Sports Psychology Clinic in November 2021 and reported to a psychiatrist that she was experiencing increased depression symptoms and suicidal thoughts and was prescribed Concerta to address that. Concerta's side effects include suicide ideation which may be present for months after discontinuation of the medicine. Katie couldn't get a refill because of insurance issues, and had no refills after November 2021. Stanford's psychologist and psychiatrist failed to monitor her refills. 

I think you included this to support her parents' legal case, but to me it undermines it, unless there was a claim for medical malpractice. She already self-reported suicidal ideation, so unless we think someone should have 5150'd her and failed to, I think Stanford's actions, most immediately the disciplinary email, were at most a precipitating cause, but not the proximate cause, of her death. 

I do think the entire situation was a genuine tragedy, and I'm glad the law was passed, as it seems like more guardrails here are a good thing. But as a lawyer myself, this case always seemed weak, and I can't help but feel like the parents need to find a villain in a situation where there wasn't one. May her memory be a blessing, which thankfully, it really has seemed to be.

[2006alum]

She sought care at the University's Sports Psychology Clinic in November 2021 and reported to a psychiatrist that she was experiencing increased depression symptoms and suicidal thoughts and was prescribed Concerta to address that. Concerta's side effects include suicide ideation which may be present for months after discontinuation of the medicine. Katie couldn't get a refill because of insurance issues, and had no refills after November 2021. Stanford's psychologist and psychiatrist failed to monitor her refills. 

I think you included this to support her parents' legal case, but to me it undermines it, unless there was a claim for medical malpractice. She already self-reported suicidal ideation, so unless we think someone should have 5150'd her and failed to, I think Stanford's actions, most immediately the disciplinary email, were at most a precipitating cause, but not the proximate cause, of her death. 

I do think the entire situation was a genuine tragedy, and I'm glad the law was passed, as it seems like more guardrails here are a good thing. But as a lawyer myself, this case always seemed weak, and I can't help but feel like the parents need to find a villain in a situation where there wasn't one. May her memory be a blessing, which thankfully, it really has seemed to be.