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Counseling Center
508-626-4640
Mon - Fri 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Counseling Center has a psychiatric Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) who provides medication evaluations and follow-up services to students who are Counseling Center clients.
FAQs:
How do I set up an appointment with the Center’s psychiatric nurse?
The first step is to make an appointment to have an initial evaluation with one of the Center’s counselors. The counselor will talk with you about your current concerns and a number of treatment options that might be helpful to you. If you and your counselor determine that medication may be useful, then a referral can be made to the Center’s CNS for an evaluation.
What is involved with a psychiatric evaluation?
An evaluation with the CNS focuses on why you were referred. The evaluation takes about an hour and involves being asked a series of questions designed to get to know you, your history, and the symptoms that you are currently experiencing. After completing the evaluation, the CNS will discuss treatment recommendations and determine if medication might be useful to you. If so, the CNS will talk with you about the benefits and risks of the particular medication being prescribed, and write a prescription that you can then bring to a local pharmacy to be filled.
Will my medications be monitored by the Center's CNS?
If medication has been prescribed, the CNS will want you to schedule periodic follow-up appointments to assess the effectiveness of the medication.
Are there any fees associated with seeing the Center's CNS?
There are no charges for any of the services that the Counseling Center offers. If you are prescribed medication, you can use your health insurance to cover the cost. You are responsible for paying the pharmacy for any co-payments associated with your prescription coverage.
What if I am currently prescribed medication by someone outside of the Counseling Center?
If you are being prescribed medication by someone outside the Center, you may choose to continue having that person write your prescriptions. The Center’s counselors will want to speak with your prescriber, with your permission, in order to coordinate treatment. In the event that there are no openings to see the Center’s CNS, your counselor will help you with a referral to a prescriber in the community.
Will I need to be seen by a Counseling Center counselor while I am being seen by the Center’s CNS?
Yes. It is the Center’s policy, and also considered sound clinical care, that anyone prescribed psychotropic medication also be in treatment with a counselor.
Additional Questions:
If you have additional questions about the Center’s polices or practices regarding medication consultation and follow-up care, please contact the Counseling Center.
