Psychiatric Medication
Columbia Health provides Psychiatric Medication through Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS). If you’re interested in being prescribed psychiatric medication, please schedule a treatment planning session to begin the process. You may schedule this through the Patient Portal or by calling CPS at 212-854-2878.
Psychiatric Medication at Columbia Health
Psychiatrists at CPS are medical doctors who can prescribe psychiatric medications for students who may benefit from it.
All students who want to be prescribed psychiatric medication must meet with a CPS psychiatrist for a thorough evaluation, following the steps described below. Even if you have a prescription from another provider, CPS will not prescribe refills until a full evaluation and assessment has been completed. Please ensure that you get enough refills with your current prescriber to last until you can meet with CPS.
Note that CPS adheres to strict standards of confidentiality.
Who is eligible?
All Columbia students on the Morningside and Manhattanville campuses who have paid the full-time Columbia Health and Related Services Fee are eligible for prescription psychiatric medication through CPS.
How do I get prescribed psychiatric medication?
To receive a psychiatric medication from a CPS psychiatrist, you must first meet with a CPS psychologist or social worker. If you are already meeting with a CPS psychologist or social worker they will refer you, as appropriate for a psychiatric intake. If you are new to CPS:
- Schedule and attend a Treatment Planning Session. You can do so by calling 212-854-2878 or scheduling it in the Patient Portal.
- Attend an intake appointment with a psychologist or social worker. They will spend time asking about your symptoms, personal history, and present circumstances. Having this background in advance enables our psychiatrists to provide the best-informed, most efficient care.
- Schedule and attend an initial psychiatric visit, where you will discuss your personal and family medical history, along with basic medical information. During this session, your psychiatrist will help you figure out if medication is the most appropriate choice. If so, they’ll also provide education about the options. While a psychiatrist may make recommendations, the decision to try medications is entirely up to you
- Schedule follow-ups as recommended by your CPS providers. If your CPS psychiatrist feels medication may be beneficial and you decide to try it, please ensure that your appointments are scheduled well before your next refill so that there is no gap in your treatment.
Not all students who go through this process decide to try or are an appropriate fit for medication. Your psychiatrist will talk about the advantages and disadvantages to help you make an informed decision.
Additionally, please note that if you're seeking medication for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), there are some special procedures. To learn more, please visit the ADHD Evaluation page.
Please speak with your CPS psychiatrist if you want to stop your prescribed medication. They will help you wean off safely.
How much will it cost?
There is no fee for psychiatrist visits at CPS for students who have paid the full-time Columbia Health and Related Services Fee. If you need any lab tests or choose to begin medication, your costs will be determined by your health insurance plan.
What else do I need to know?
If you choose to start medication, you’ll meet regularly with your psychiatrist to monitor how well it’s working and to ensure there aren't any uncomfortable side effects. During these times, your psychiatrist may recommend changes to the dosage or type of medication.
Psychiatry treatment at CPS is intended to help students begin medications and feel better. This process often takes several months. If you need longer-term treatment, they may help you find a psychiatrist off-campus to continue your care. This is done to ensure that CPS resources are readily available to the entire Columbia community.
CPS psychiatrists focus specifically on medication consultation and management. If you’re looking for counseling as well, we encourage you to continue with our large staff of psychologists and social workers. Our teams at CPS work closely together to ensure you’re receiving the best care.
If you would like to speak with a CPS social worker about any aspect of your care, we encourage you to visit our virtual Care Navigation Drop-in Hours. You can find out about the Care Navigation drop-in hours, along with the other drop-in hours that CPS offers, on the Same Day Service page.
Frequently Asked Questions
We require all students who are looking for psychiatric medication prescriptions to meet with us first. Although you may have a current prescription, people's experiences, symptoms, and circumstances may change. We review everything to ensure that you’re currently using the most appropriate form of treatment to support you.
This process helps you access care more quickly . The psychologist or social worker will spend time learning about your symptoms, personal history, and present circumstances. Having this information in advance can help your psychiatrist provide you with the best-informed, most efficient care.
We want to provide the best care possible and that starts with accurate diagnoses. There is no one specific test that can determine whether an individual has ADHD. We want to be sure that any medication we prescribe is right for you. The diagnosis of ADHD requires a comprehensive clinical assessment. This may include information from multiple sources, including rating scales, academic or work records, and history supplied by you, your family, physicians/mental health professionals, and current or former teachers.