Psychiatric Services

If you are interested in seeing a CMHS psychiatry clinician for evaluation and consideration of medication treatment OR if you are currently receiving psychiatric services and would like to transfer your care to a CMHS psychiatric clinician, you must:

• Be in concurrent counseling with either a CMHS therapist or with a therapist in the community
• Your therapist will need to refer you for the psychiatric evaluation
  • If you are working with a therapist at CMHS, discuss making a referral with them
  • If you are working with an off-campus therapist, please have them fill out the Referral Form and fax (617-627-3019) or mail it to us. Once we receive and review the form, we will contact you to schedule an appointment. 

At your initial psychiatric evaluation appointment, your provider will obtain a thorough history and talk with you about your mental health concerns. Together, you and the clinician will discuss treatment options which may include medication treatment. You will have the opportunity to learn about any recommended medications, including their potential risks, benefits, and side effects. Sometimes the evaluation requires more than one meeting before treatment recommendations can be provided.

My psychiatric provider is at CMHS: check your medication bottle to see if any refills are authorized. If so, you can contact your pharmacy directly to request the refill. If you have no authorized refills, reach out to your provider on the secure portal. The portal is not monitored when CMHS is closed, so make sure to make requests during business hours. NOTE: We recommend you make the request at least 2 business days before you run out of your current prescription.

My psychiatric provider is in the community/from my home state: you will need to reach out to the clinician who prescribed the medication to obtain prescription renewals. CMHS providers cannot renew prescriptions that have been prescribed by a non-CMHS provider.

Leaving Massachusetts? If you will be in another state during breaks, be aware that there are some restrictions for the prescribing of certain medications across state lines. Discuss with your provider how best to manage this before leaving for breaks.

ADHD Diagnosis

Diagnosis of ADHD requires a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation. This includes a detailed clinical interview; review of developmental, academic, and psychosocial history; assessment of functional impairment in a variety of circumstances; and consideration of collateral information and prior records when available. Many psychiatric conditions have symptoms which overlap with ADHD, and a thorough diagnostic evaluation using DSM-V-TR criteria is essential to rule out other conditions and to determine a diagnosis of ADHD. If you think you have ADHD but have never been diagnosed, this resource page may be helpful.

Transfer of ADHD Treatment

Students who have an existing diagnosis of ADHD--and who seek to transfer their care to a CMHS prescriber--must provide documentation of a complete ADHD evaluation plus records of ADHD medication treatment in advance of being scheduled for an evaluation with a CMHS prescribing clinician. External evaluations (e.g., neuropsychological testing or prior provider documentation) may inform clinical decision making but do not replace an independent assessment. CMHS providers retain responsibility for determining medical necessity and appropriateness of a medication regime.

Some things to know about receiving ADHD treatment at CMHS

• Regular appointments with your psychiatric provider are required
• Medical assessments (vital signs, weight, electrocardiogram) are required as directed by your psychiatric provider
• Stimulant medications are controlled substances. Before initiating treatment, students and their provider will discuss the potential risks, benefits, and side-effects, as well as the risks of misuse and diversion. Students are required to read and adhere to the Controlled Substance Treatment Agreement (we will provide a link when it becomes available)
• Recommendations may include non-medication treatments/supports, such as StAAR Center support, academic accommodations, sleep hygiene, exercise, avoidance of substances, ADHD skills training
• If you have co-occurring mental health conditions, concurrent counseling may be recommended 

Students with the Tufts Student Health Insurance Plan (UHCSR) 

• Initial evaluation: fully covered by student health fee
• Medication follow-up visits: fully covered by student health insurance
• Prescribed medications may require a co-payment

Students with private health insurance (not with the Tufts Student Health Insurance Plan)

• Initial evaluation: fully covered by student health fee
• Medication follow-up visits (20-30 minutes): $100
• Prescribed medications may require a co-payment.

CMHS cannot bill your health insurance directly. Some private insurance companies will reimburse for all or some of the fee. An itemized receipt will be available on the secure portal, which you can submit to your insurance company to request reimbursement. It is advised that you check with your health insurance company in advance to find out if reimbursement is an option. If reimbursement is not an option, CMHS can assist with a referral to a community provider offering care within your insurance network.

Psychiatry charges will go on your SIS account and will be listed simply as a Health Service charge to protect your confidentiality. You can also pay directly at the Bursar's Office.

For questions about your insurance coverage, contact the Health Services Business Office at 617-627-3350 or email studenthealthinsurance@tufts.edu 

Concerns about payment should not be a barrier to seeking services. Please let your referring counselor know if the fee would make treatment inaccessible