Reasons for Delays
Pertinent fields on the form are incomplete, inaccurate or illegible: In order to ensure that you receive a response to your psychotropic medication request as quickly as possible please make sure that the following information is always legibly included on the request form:
- Accurate Name, DOB and ID
- Height and weight and date last taken (should be current within last month)
- Prescribing physician, specialty, phone and fax
- Phone with extension and fax if caseworker is primary contact.
- All Medical and Psychiatric Diagnoses
- All current medication including dosages and frequency
- All Medications that have been discontinued since last request was sent
- Specific symptoms for which the medication is being prescribed to treat. Do not list diagnoses as symptoms.
Emergency Meds: Include date and time they were given, route and reason medication were administered.
Insufficient rationales: Please provide very specific rationales for requesting more aggressive Rx treatment or out of the ordinary psychotropic medication regimens.
Co-pharmacy: If prescribing 2 medications from the same drug classification
- List the rationale for using the 2 medications.
- Provide current serum levels (Lithium, VPA, Tegretol)
- List mono-therapy past trials of medications from the same drug class.
Children under 8: list all alternative treatments that have been tried.
Inappropriate diagnosis or symptoms for medication requested: i.e. a stimulant without an ADHD diagnosis. An antipsychotic without symptoms of psychosis, mania or aggression.
Discontinued medications are not reported: Often a new medication is chosen to replace a current medication; however, it is not reported. What appears to be co-pharmacy is simply a failure to report that a current medication will be discontinued.
1st line Anti-Depressants: If not choosing a 1st line antidepressant (Fluoxetine, Escitalopram and Citalopram) include a rationale for why choosing another anti-depressant.
1st line Mood Stabilizers: If not choosing a 1st line mood stabilizer, (Lithium, Depakote or Tegretol) please include a rationale for why another mood stabilizer has been selected. If you have the current blood level, please include this and the date of test.
HFS Non preferred medication is requested: If not choosing an HFS preferred drug please include the rationale for choosing a non-preferred medication.
Previously requested information is not provided: Review previous consents and include any additional information requested to be included with the next request.
Unable to contact medical personnel: Accurate contact information is very helpful and will expedite the completion of consents. Often the supporting staff at physician’s offices are unable to accurately complete the necessary clinical data. Direct contact to the physician or times that the MD is available to the DCFS consent team would be helpful to maintain communication and rapid completion of the consent process.
Reasons for Delays