Medication Policies

Our Philosophy

Something that sets Carencia apart is that we provide both psychotherapy and medically-informed services under one roof. The result of this convenience is a judicious approach to medication usage.

We do prescribe medication if the need is indicated and after patient risk/benefit education has occurred. We do not prescribe medication for individuals who have not visited Carencia for an initial evaluation.

Like all treatment at Carencia, the use of medication is the result of strategic collaboration with each individual patient, family, and others involved in the care when indicated.

What We Do Prescribe:

In Addition To Common & Standard Medication

Benzodiazepines

We do prescribe these medications in certain situations when appropriate, which is determined by the prescriber. These medications include “Xanax, Klonopin, Ativan, Valium” and medications for sleep such as “Ambien” and “Lunesta.”

There are a few points for you to understand ahead of time. If you are already taking medication in this category, it does not guarantee we will continue them. We use these medications when indicated for certain problems and it is rare we continue for longer than 6 weeks at the most. However, there are exceptions.

We follow guidelines that use these medications judiciously when appropriate in acute or severe symptom situations until other treatment options have become effective.

Vivitrol

We prescribe and administer Vivitrol injections for those who are candidates for alcohol and/or opioid dependence/addiction treatment. In a session, we can discuss further the medication and answer any questions you may have.

Please note, there is a several-week process of prescribing and coordinating with all the necessary parties. There are ways to reduce this time frame, but it is not always a guarantee. Lastly, due to the significant amount of time in the administration of enrolling and coordinating each injection, we charge a one time fee of $180.

Buprenorphine

We employ buprenorphine products such as “Suboxone” for use in assisting with opioid dependence or addiction treatment. Not all people are candidates for this type of treatment. If you are interested or looking for a provider to continue this medication, we can discuss further in a visit.

We provide one-month quantity prescriptions at a time. We will assist you in determining if this is the right option for you.

Ketamine/Esketamine

Carencia utilizes ketamine or esketamine as a prescription medication, along with an antidepressant taken by mouth, for treatment-resistant depression in adults.

Spravato (esketamine) was made for treatment-resistant depression; it is not intended to help prevent or relieve pain. Carencia has completed the Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) process for esketamine and is a certified administration site.

What We Do Not Prescribe:

  • Stimulant Medication

    We do not prescribe stimulant medications that are in the methylphenidate and amphetamine categories. These are traditionally known as the products “Ritalin” or “Adderall” and are generally used to treat ADHD. These substances fall into a category II controlled substance, which we do not prescribe.

Carencia Refill Policy

We generally refill your prescription at the scheduled follow up visit.

If you miss your appointment we can make an exception by calling them in if needed depending on the length of time since your last visit, however, this does not apply to controlled substances. We will only provide one refill due to a missed appointment.

Please note, due to the enormous amount of automatic faxes we get from pharmacies, which is largely inaccurate or not up to date, we do not prefer to refill medications this way. If you are needing a refill we prefer for the patient to make the request by let us know several days before the prescription has run out. 

In Need of a Prescription Refill?