Psychiatric medication can be essential to therapeutic treatment, providing symptom relief and helping individuals participate in psychotherapy and life more fully. However, many people aren’t sure how to get medication, if it’s safe, and who’s legally able to provide it for psychiatric treatment.

This may vary from state to state so it is important to check with your local regulations. In Michigan, psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners are uniquely qualified to prescribe psychiatric medication and have the training to do so, in addition to diagnosing mental health conditions and providing psychotherapy. Additionally, medical doctors can prescribe medication within their scope of practice but will often collaborate with a psychiatrist or advanced nurse practitioner for medication administration and management.

Mental health professionals with training in psychopharmacology use standardized tools to determine the presence of symptoms and if medication is appropriate. In most cases, medication is prescribed alongside psychotherapy, where medication provides symptom relief and psychotherapy offers strategies to manage symptoms internally and develop long-term coping strategies for future success.

Requirements to Prescribe Psychiatric Medication

Prescribing psychiatric medication requires a doctorate in medicine, a graduate degree with post-graduate training in psychopharmacology, or a graduate degree with a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) certification. Professionals who meet these criteria include:

• Psychiatrists: Medical doctors (MDs) or doctors of osteopathy (DOs) who specialize in psychiatric evaluation, prescription, and treatment.
• Medical Doctors and Primary Care Physicians: MDs or DOs with general knowledge of health and can prescribe medication if needed. However, in most cases, these doctors will refer individuals to psychiatrists or psychiatric nurse practitioners who have more specialized knowledge in understanding mental health and prescribing medication appropriately.
• Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners (NPs): Graduate degree nurses with a PMHNP certification, pharmacology training, and state licensure as an advanced practice nurse. In Michigan this requires a collaborative relationship with a psychiatrist, and may include a delegation of privilege to prescribe controlled substances.
• Physician’s Assistants (PAs): In some states, physician’s assistants may prescribe medication if trained and licensed. However, these professionals can only do so under physician supervision and cannot prescribe medication independently.
• Doctoral level Psychologists (LPs): In some states (not Michigan) psychologists with advanced training may prescribe medication.

Due to the potential health concerns of medication mismanagement, the standards for prescribing and overseeing medication for mental health conditions are rigorous. The unique ability to prescribe medication is known as prescriptive authority. Prescriptive authority comes from specialized training in psychopharmacology or the study of ethically and appropriately administering pharmaceuticals for the benefit of psychological health.

Psychiatrists and physicians have the greatest prescriptive authority because they have the most training in understanding these medications’ long-term effects and side effects. Physician assistants have the least prescriptive authority, requiring physician supervision, and nurse practitioners have significant authority that is dependent on state laws regulating what medications nurse practitioners are capable of prescribing (particularly regarding controlled substances).

Additionally, an essential component of prescribing medication is psychiatric understanding, or how these medications will affect one’s overall mental health, treatment plan, and long-term goals. Psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners have the most significant psychiatric understanding, as they can view medication in the context of an individual’s overall mental health and long-term treatment. While physicians have unique prescriptive authority, they may not be the best professionals to prescribe medication as they will not always participate in the initial psychiatric evaluation or oversee subsequent psychiatric treatment. Due to their involvement in the entire psychiatric process, from diagnosis to symptom remission, psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners are the best equipped to prescribe medication in psychiatric circumstances.

Psychiatrists: Medical Doctors Specializing in Mental Health

As medical doctors specializing in mental health, psychiatrists are uniquely qualified to prescribe psychiatric medication. Psychiatrists are the primary prescribers of medication and have legal authority to prescribe across all states, regardless of specific state-level restrictions that may apply to other healthcare providers.

In addition to their general medical education, psychiatrists are specifically trained to understand the complex interactions between medications and mental health disorders, how to conduct psychiatric evaluations, and how to develop and administer long-term treatment plans. This training allows them to manage severe or complicated psychiatric conditions that may require a combination of psychotherapy and medication management.

Education:

• Undergraduate Degree (4 years)
• Medical School (4 years)
• Psychiatric Residency (4 years)
• Optional fellowship training in a psychiatric sub-specialty

Certification

• State licensure to practice medicine
• Board certification by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN)
• Registration with the DEA (required to prescribe controlled substances)

Qualifications:

• Administer Psychiatric Evaluations
• Score and Interpret Psychiatric Evaluations
• Diagnose and create treatment plans for mental health disorders
• Prescribe psychiatric medications
• Provide psychotherapy

Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners: Specialized Mental Health Care Providers

Psychiatric nurse practitioners are highly trained healthcare professionals who specialize in diagnosing and treating mental health disorders. Unlike psychiatrists, NPs have advanced degrees in nursing with specialized training in psychopharmacology, and their prescriptive authority varies by state. For example, in Michigan, NPs have prescriptive authority for non-scheduled medication, but they can only prescribe controlled substances through supervision by a DEA-registered physician.

In addition to prescribing medication, NPs are qualified to manage a wide range of mental health conditions, monitor patients, and create or adjust treatment plans. They often work in collaborative care models alongside psychiatrists, psychologists, and other mental health professionals and are uniquely capable of providing psychiatric services in the absence of a clinical psychiatrist.

Education:

• Bachelor’s Degree (4 years)
• NCLEX-RN (registered nurse) examination
• Master of Science in Nursing (MSN ~2 years) or Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP ~4 years) with specialization in psychiatry
• At least 500 hours of supervised clinical hours in psychiatric care
• Continuing Education

Certification:

• State licensure to practice medicine
• State-specific PMHNP certification
• Renewal of the PMHNP certification every five years

Qualifications:

• Diagnose and treat mental health conditions
• Prescribe psychiatric medications according to state laws
• Provide ongoing care and management for patients

Primary Care Physicians: Family Doctors and General Practitioners

Physicians, including family doctors and general practitioners, have prescriptive authority to prescribe medication, although they may not be trained to provide additional psychiatric treatment or psychotherapy alongside medication management. While they have completed medical school and residency, their focus is much broader, covering a wide range of medical issues at a general level. This professional focus means that physicians can prescribe psychiatric medication within the scope of their practice, but that their scope is more limited than it is for psychiatrists or NPs for mental health disorders.

However, physicians play a critical role in the collaborative care model. They are often the first point of contact for patients experiencing mental health concerns and can refer patients to psychiatrists or psychiatric nurse practitioners, especially for complex cases. In many cases, physicians can prescribe medication while collaborating with a mental health professional who provides psychotherapy or counseling or works directly with NPs to provide specialized care in clinical settings

Education:

• Bachelor’s Degree (4 years)
• Medical College Admission Test (MCAT)
• Medical School (4 years)
• Residency or Internship in chosen specialty (3-9 years)

Certification:

• State licensure to practice medicine

Qualifications:

• Diagnose and treat a wide range of illnesses and conditions
• Prescribe medication
• Manage chronic disease
• Provide preventative care

Contact Start My Wellness to Get Started With Psychiatric Medication

Psychiatric medication is a powerful tool that helps many individuals manage symptoms and find relief for psychological conditions they are facing, but it has strict requirements on who has prescriptive authority and to what Degree. Doctors, including psychiatrists and physicians, have federal authority to prescribe medication, and nurse practitioners are uniquely qualified to prescribe medication, but their prescriptive authority varies by state.

At Start My Wellness, we understand the importance of finding the right provider for your mental health needs. Our team of psychiatric nurse practitioners is trained to provide personalized, effective treatment, including medication management and psychotherapy. With a focus on long-term mental health and well-being, we are committed to helping you navigate your options and get the support you need.

If you’re ready to take the next step in your mental health journey, contact us at (248)-514-4955 and meet our nurse practitioners to schedule an appointment. We’re here to help.

Sources

1. Start My Wellness: Psychiatric Medication + Therapy = Better Outcomes
2. StatPearls: Practitioners and Prescriptive Authority
3. Start My Wellness: Psychiatric Medication
4. Indeed: Psychiatrist Educational Requirements
5. American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology: Board Certification
6. American Medical Association: Nurse Practitioner Prescriptive Authority by State
7. Michigan Legislature: Advanced practice registered nurse; authority to prescribe nonscheduled prescription drug or controlled substance.
8. Nursing License Map: How to Become a Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
9. US Bureau of Labor Statistics: Physicians and Surgeons