Psychiatric Consultation

Psychiatric consultation is available to those whose primary care provider is an IU Health Center clinician. An appointment with a psychiatrist is contingent upon a referral by a CAPS counselor or by a Health Center physician. Clients seen by a psychiatrist are scheduled for a 45-50 minute appointment. Subsequent appointments are usually 15-30 minutes long.

To be eligible for these services a student must be referred by a CAPS therapist, a Sexual Assault Crisis Service (SACS) counselor, or a Health Center medical provider. Students under the care of a Bloomington area psychiatrist or therapist who practices outside the Health Center are not eligible for CAPS services, unless they intend to shift their care to CAPS.

PRESCRIPTION REFILLS

Prescription refills are written during follow-up visits. Students are responsible for determining whether their medication will last until their next visit. If a medication will run out before the next scheduled visit, a call may be made to CAPS and a written prescription will be available at the front desk within 48 hours (Monday - Friday). In certain situations, a student may be asked to make an appointment. Generally, prescriptions will not be called to pharmacies because of the length of time this takes. Requests for refills during vacations, holidays and breaks should be avoided.

Students must safeguard their medications and lost or stolen prescriptions for controlled substances (e.g. sedatives, sleeping pills, stimulants) may not be replaced.

QUESTIONS FOR PSYCHIATRISTS

For questions about severe medication side effects and allergic reactions, the psychiatrist should be called immediately. General, non-emergency questions about medications and treatment should be asked during appointments. Questions that come to mind after an appointment should be written down and asked at the next visit.

MEDICAL RECORDS

With the student’s permission medical records may be requested from previous treatment providers. When students leave CAPS, they may request that copies of their records be forwarded to their next provider.

SUBSEQUENT CARE

When students leave IU for the summer or at the end of their studies, they should arrange follow-up care in an expeditious manner. CAPS psychiatrists will attempt to ease this transition with enough medication refills.