ADHD Medication Policy

Regarding the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) of any subtype, the Health Center cannot monitor and prescribe medication for those students with a stable condition and who have prescribing doctors at home (psychiatrist, pediatrician, family doctor, or internist). Such students need to continue to receive their medications from home providers and should meet with their home providers at a clinically appropriate frequency during holiday periods and visits home.

The Health Center can monitor and prescribe these medications for individuals with unstable ADHD or ADD and for individuals with ADHD or ADD in combination with another psychiatric illness. For these students with more complex medication situations, we must first get a written report from the doctor who has been treating their ADHD or ADD condition. In that report, which need not be lengthy, we need:

• Doctor’s name, address, telephone, and fax information
• Date of diagnosis of attention disorder
• Name and credentials of diagnosing professional
• Brief treatment summary, including compliance issues
• Student’s pertinent medical history including what has and has not worked in the past
• Last date seen for ADHD or ADD treatment (must be within 35 days of arrival on campus)
• Current medication(s) and dose(s)

Please be advised that, due to the current prevalence of abuse of Adderall (Amphetamine Salts) on college campuses, this medication will not be prescribed by the Health Center. If your student is currently receiving Adderall or its generic equivalent and it is determined that the Health Center will monitor and manage medication during the academic year, we ask that medication treatment be modified before campus arrival. There is an array of ADHD medications that can be substituted. Please consult with your home prescriber in this regard.

If the student is 18 years or older, the home doctor will need the student’s signed permission to release information to us. Please be sure and begin this process in plenty of time! We appreciate your understanding of the importance of this information. We want the student to receive appropriate treatment and continuity of care. Furthermore, the increasing abuse of many ADHD or ADD medications on college campuses causes us to take as many precautions as possible to maintain a healthy student community. Thank you in advance for your cooperation.