Medication Refill and Controlled-Substance Policy

Effective date: 09-18-2026

Purpose

This policy explains how we handle medication refills and prescriptions so that your care is safe, consistent, and lawful. It applies to all clients. Clients will be asked to review and acknowledge it during intake.

General Refill Guidelines

Regular follow-up is required. We can prescribe medication only for clients who are actively in care and attend follow-up visits at the frequency your provider recommends.
Request refills early. Please contact your pharmacy first, then allow at least [3 to 5] business days for us to process a request. Requests made late in the day, on weekends, or on holidays may take longer.
Plan ahead. Please do not wait until your last dose. We cannot guarantee same-day refills.
No refills by phone at the visit’s end. Bring up any refill needs during your appointment when possible.
Overdue visits. If you have missed or not scheduled a follow-up visit, we may be able to provide only a short bridge supply, or we may need to see you before refilling.
Pharmacy. Please keep your preferred pharmacy on file and tell us if it changes.

Lab Work and Monitoring

Some medications require regular labs, blood pressure checks, or other monitoring. We may ask you to complete these before refilling. Refills may be delayed if required monitoring is not done.

Controlled Substances

Controlled substances, such as certain stimulant medications, benzodiazepines, and sleep medications, carry additional risks and are more tightly regulated. Whether we prescribe them is a clinical decision made by your provider for each client. The following applies when a controlled substance is prescribed:

Prescribing is not guaranteed. Your provider decides after evaluation, and may decline or discontinue a controlled substance if it is not clinically appropriate.
Visits are required. Refills require regular visits, which may be in person, by telehealth, or a mix, in line with the law and our clinical judgment. [Insert visit interval.]
No early refills. Prescriptions are written for a specific period. We do not provide early refills.
Lost, stolen, or damaged medication. We generally cannot replace lost or stolen controlled medications. Please protect them as you would valuables. If they are stolen, we may ask for a police report.
Prescription monitoring. We are required or permitted to check your state’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) before and during prescribing.
One prescriber. Please get controlled-substance prescriptions from only one provider, and tell us about any prescriptions from other providers.
Pharmacy. Use a single pharmacy for controlled medications, when possible.
Safe use and storage. Take medication only as prescribed. Do not share or sell it. Store it securely, out of reach of children and others.
Drug screening. We may request urine or other drug testing as part of safe prescribing. This is not punishment. It helps us keep you safe.
Combining substances. Please tell us about alcohol, cannabis, and other substance use, as combining them with certain medications can be dangerous.
Possible discontinuation. Prescribing may be stopped or tapered if there are safety concerns, such as misuse, diversion, unexplained results, dishonesty about use, or violation of this policy. We will do so with care and provide information on next steps when appropriate.
Telehealth prescribing. Rules on prescribing controlled substances by telehealth are set by federal and state law and can change. We may require an in-person visit.

Pharmacy and Insurance Issues

Prior authorization requests, pharmacy stock problems, and insurance denials can delay a prescription. We will help where we can, but they are sometimes outside our control. Please contact us as early as possible if there is a problem.

Traveling

If you will be away, please tell us at least [2] weeks before you leave. We cannot always send prescriptions to pharmacies in other states, especially for controlled substances.

Stopping Medication

Do not stop a medication suddenly without speaking to your provider, as this can cause withdrawal or a return of symptoms. If you have a serious reaction or a medical emergency, call 911. If you are in emotional crisis, call or text 988.