Psychiatric Services

Due to high demand, psychiatric services are only available to James Madison University students who are currently engaged in ongoing treatment at the Counseling Center. Students who are only interested in medication, need a refill, or medication management will be referred to a community provider.

Psychiatric staff at the Counseling Center are trained medical professionals who specialize in prescribing medications for mental health concerns.

With such a high demand for psychiatric services, once students are stabilized on medication, they will be referred to a community provider for medication management. If you already have an ongoing relationship with a family physician or psychiatrist, you should maintain services with that provider until you become established with a provider in the Harrisonburg area.

During the initial psychiatric assessment, you will be asked a variety of questions about your current concerns and relevant medical history. The psychiatric provider will also review the information and recommendation from your Counseling Center clinician. One possible recommendation may be to start a prescription medication, to compliment the clinical services you are receiving. Although our psychiatric services are free, any medication and associated lab work costs are your financial responsibility, but are commonly covered through your health insurance.

If you are prescribed medication, you will need to attend periodic follow-up visits. These appointments are opportunities to discuss any concerns, side effects, or questions you have about your treatment.

Our psychiatric staff do not prescribe ADHD medication or provide refills for ADHD prescriptions. Visit our ADHD Self-Help section for information about ADHD medication, community providers, where to obtain assessments, campus accommodations, and other resources for ADHD related concerns. 

If you are interested in connecting with a medication prescriber in Harrisonburg, review our Medication Resources page.

There are 24/7 services available for emergency mental health situations. Please visit our Emergency Assistance page for all of the options.