What is Psychiatric and Medication Services?

A psychiatric provider provides Psychiatric and Medication Services. A psychiatric provider is a medical doctor, nurse practitioner or physician’s assistant with special training in mental health conditions. Upon receiving a referral, the psychiatric provider (prescriber) meets with the individual to conduct a Psychiatric Evaluation. Based on the information they obtain from the evaluation; the prescriber will assign a diagnosis and make treatment recommendations. A person who sees a prescriber may need medication to treat a mental health condition or to manage serious behaviors. The psychiatric provider will prescribe the medication and will monitor how well the medication is working by meeting with the person for regular medication reviews/medication monitoring sessions either in person or virtually.

Psychiatric and Medication Services may include the following: Psychiatric Evaluation; Psychiatric Medication; Medication Reviews through on-going monitoring by a prescriber and/or a nurse; Medication Reconciliation; Education on prescribed and available medication options, medication uses, benefits and side effects; and Referrals for lab work or other medical tests.

How do Psychiatric and Medication Services help an individual?

Each person who requests services from Bay Arenac Behavioral Health or one of its contract agencies receives a comprehensive evaluation by a case manager, supports coordinator or clinical specialist when they enter services. Based on the assessment, if the mental health worker needs assistance in clarifying diagnosis or if they believe the person’s mental condition can be effectively treated with medications then they will refer the person to a psychiatric provider. Mental Illnesses are physical illness that affect the chemicals in a person’s brain. Psychiatric medications are not a cure, but they can help restore the brain chemicals to a level that reduces symptoms and improves the person’s quality of life.

There are some situations where a person only receives psychiatric and medication services. In most cases, though, it is best that the person also receives other supportive services in addition to medication to help them understand and manage their illness, to help them learn coping skills, to help them connect with community resources and to help them become an active part in their community.