The Decker Student Health Services Center’s (DSHSC) psychiatric services are provided by a full-time, board-certified psychiatrist for 10 months of the year, and a part-time psychiatric nurse practitioner for 12 months of the year. Initial evaluations are scheduled after obtaining records of past treatment and several screening forms. We do not provide emergent or walk-in appointments for new patients. DSHSC offers in-person appointments as well as telepsychiatry services for students who are physically within the boundaries of New York state at the time of their appointment.
Eligibility of services
In most cases, students will be directed to counseling before a medication evaluation is scheduled unless they are already established with a therapist/counselor. Additionally, eligibility for our services is linked to student registration. If a student does not register for classes or withdraws for a semester, they are no longer able to be treated by our team until they are re-enrolled. Students who have been in long-term treatment for a chronic psychiatric condition may be better served by a clinician who is not linked to their University status. This may include a referral to an off-campus provider in the Binghamton area or remaining with their home provider and having telepsychiatry visits during the semester and in-person visits at home during breaks and holidays. Binghamton University has private rooms available for students to reserve for this purpose. Students who are having difficulty finding an off-campus provider to meet their needs may contact our treatment coordination services.
Prescriptions for controlled substances
Before we will prescribe a controlled substance, we require students to show they have had psychological tests confirming a diagnosis which requires their use. This is most pertinent for students seeking stimulants for the treatment of attention deficit disorder. A letter from a provider affirming the diagnosis or a self-screening tool will not suffice for us to take over the prescribing of a controlled substance. Students who have not had this testing done, or are unwilling to have it done, should be referred to an off-campus provider who does not require testing. Students who are having difficulty finding an off-campus provider to meet their needs may contact our treatment coordination services.
Students with eating disorders
Psychiatry services provides evaluations for students who are concerned they have an eating disorder. These evaluations will assess whether the student is able to be treated within the scope of care available at Binghamton University. If they are outside of the scope of what we are able to provide, the student will be referred for treatment coordination to help them find off-campus services. More information can be found here.
