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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: Psychiatry services are charged at $140 for a 50-minute visit,
and $90 for medication follow-up visits (20-30 minutes).
Although we do not bill insurance directly, we will send you,
the student, an itemized medical bill to submit to your insurance
company for reimbursement.
- The charges will go on your Tuition Bill, unless you would
like to pay at the time of service. We do not accept credit cards.
- The charge on the Tuition Bill simply states "Health Service charge"
to protect your confidentiality.
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
- You will need to have a brief phone
screening with one of our clinicians.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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
- 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.
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