Educational Information about Psychotropic Medications

THE VH CCYP program, funded by San Diego County Behavioral Health Services’ Child, Youth and Family division, serves as a resource for youth needing ongoing psychiatric care and clinical oversight under a variety of conditions. Care for each individual is provided with a focus on each patient’s unique needs, with medication services offered in the context of a comprehensive treatment plan that may include ongoing psychotherapy and collateral community services and supports to optimize each youth’s ongoing developmental progress within the context of their family’s resources and preferences.

The program’s psychiatry team provides medication prescription services for youth with mental health, substance abuse and co-morbidly conditions. Both Specialty Mental Health care and Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) care is provided.

CCYP physicians, in collaboration with clinical and support staff, perform comprehensive assessments of all youth at entry; offer prescription medicines in accordance with federal, state and local regulations; maintain periodic and ongoing contact with youth, parents, pediatrician and others as indicated; and, encourage transitions to the youth’s primary care providers for eventual maintenance care when warranted and feasible.

Youth are seen as clinically warranted with youth, parental, and provider concurrence as to frequency of contacts, the services provided, and the medications prescribed. Psychotropic Medication Prescriptions will be made in general concordance with the DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH PARAMETERS 3.8 FOR USE OF PSYCHOTROPIC MEDICATION IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS (2020), and in compliance with JV 220 regulations (when indicated), and the clinic’s prescribing practices are also subject to both internal and external quality review.

We fully support the empowerment of youth and their families to be fully informed about their clinical needs and we seek to work in full partnership with youth, their families and others in their support systems. The links below are provided by CCYP to offer ready access for our patients and their parents and caretakers to materials that can augment their understanding of their conditions and the treatment resources relevant to their needs. Our staff are also available and eager to answer questions and address concerns related to your care plan and treatment response.