Psychiatric Medication Evaluation

• At Tufts University CMHS, we offer psychiatric services as an adjunct to counseling. Students wishing to have their medication managed by our psychiatry service are required to be participating in concurrent counseling/psychotherapy.
• This may entail working with a therapist in the community for ongoing treatment, as our counseling services are available for brief interventions only.
• All referrals to our psychiatric service must be made either through our counseling service or by a therapist you are currently seeing in the local community.
• Students who have a stable and well-controlled mental health issue, including ADHD, for which they currently receive medication prescribed by a clinician at home, are strongly encouraged to continue their contact and treatment with their provider at home, if at all possible.
• We do not provide diagnostic evaluations for ADD/ADHD.
• Fees: The first three visits with a prescribing clinician are provided without charge. Subsequent visits are charged at $90 per visit. These charges can be billed to your insurance or paid for out of pocket.

Click here for information about the Comprehensive Health Fee and Insurance Coverage for Mental Health.

Important Information about ADD/ADHD

ADD/ADHD Prescriptions: If you are taking stimulant medication, regardless of who prescribes it for you, you are responsible for ensuring that you have an adequate supply of medication and you should contact your provider in a timely manner for refills. This is very important as stimulant medication can not be prescribed by the psychiatry or Health Service medical staff unless you are in active treatment with a CMHS psychiatry clinician!

If you wish to have AD/HD medication managed by CMHS:

A. If you have a prior diagnosis of AD/HD

1. You will need to have a brief phone screening with one of our clinicians.
2. You will need to provide a copy of your medical records including details of your AD/HD evaluation and treatment, as well as any other records related to mental health treatment.
3. Once the records have been received and reviewed by our psychiatry staff, you will be contacted, either to set up an initial evaluation appointment, or to be advised regarding any additional documentation required.
4. Our psychiatry clinicians will do a thorough evaluation of your psychopharmacological needs and will recommend medication consistent with their evaluation. In some cases, this recommendation may differ from that made by your previous provider, and we do not guarantee continuation of an existing medication regime.

B. If you have not previously been diagnosed with AD/HD
Proper diagnosis of AD/HD requires careful evaluation, as other conditions may present in similar ways. Appropriate treatment requires thorough initial assessment, as described below.

1. A written diagnostic report from a qualified mental health professional. The report must include:
• Information from the interview with the student
• Information from collateral sources (such as school records)
• Relevant medical, mental health, and medication history
• History of presenting symptoms related to AD/HD
• Description of current functional limitations resulting from AD/HD
• A specific diagnosis of AD/HD based on the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria
2. Neuropsychological Testing
• A neuropsychological test report must also be submitted, including score report pages.

AD/HD assessment can be expensive, but in some cases insurance may cover part of the cost. We suggest you check with your insurance carrier to determine whether or not you have coverage. If you need assistance finding mental health professionals who are qualified to do the assessment, CMHS staff can supply you with a list of local providers.

If you have questions regarding the above, please feel welcome to contact the
Tufts University Counseling and Mental Health Service at 617-627-3360.