Do

Be honest, direct, and brief.
Refer to the BD as a stable, chronic, and well-managed health condition.
Limit medical terminology.
Suggest that they contact your BD treatment team if they have any questions or concerns.
Let the facility know that your BD team is available to support you during and after your treatment at the behavioral health treatment facility.

Do Not

Bring up your BD initially.
Mention IV or injectable medication until asked.
Provide complicated explanations of a BD or focus on complications.

Suggested language when referring a patient with a BD for inpatient/residential treatment:

Patient has a stable, well-controlled medical condition with an established treatment plan that can be easily managed in the community and at your facility.
If the patient did not have a [mental health condition or substance use disorder], they would be living a full, active life in the community.
With access to medication in the stable environment that your facility provides, we are confident that the patient’s bleeding disorder will be sufficiently controlled throughout their stay at your facility.
The patient has a treatment team available to answer any questions you might have and support you during the patient’s stay at your facility. Can I connect their treatment team with a provider at your facility for a “doctor-to-doctor” call?
Would it be helpful if I got a letter from the patient’s treatment team to assure the facility that the patient is stable from a BD perspective and appropriate for admission?

Suggested language when sharing that the patient self-administers infusion/injection medication:

Patient has a chronic health condition that they manage independently. However, they may need some reasonable accommodations to ensure equitable access to your facility.
Patient has a well-controlled medical condition and self-administers medication that will be taken in private and stored at the facility.
The patient’s bleeding disorder treatment team believes that it is appropriate for the patient to self-administer their bleeding disorder medication both at home and at your facility.
Many people with bleeding disorders, including this patient, self-administer bleeding disorder medicine intravenously or by injection to prevent bleeding. This medicine is very important for maintaining the patient’s health and medical stability and needs to be continued while at your facility.
The patient is fully competent to self-administer their bleeding disorder medication and does not require medical supervision for this process. A staff member may need to monitor the infusion process to ensure that no other substances are infused.

Suggested language when sharing that the patient will need assistance administering infusion/injection medication:

Patient has a well-controlled medical condition that requires regular treatment. The patient may need some reasonable accommodations to ensure equitable access to your facility.
The patient requires assistance to administer their bleeding disorder medication. This can be given by a provider at the facility. If you do not have a provider who is able to give their medication, we would be happy to work with your medical director to develop a plan of care.

Other things to mention about BD medication:

Bleeding disorder medication is not a pain reliever. It is taken to stop the bleeding and allows the blood to clot. Treating bleeds early avoids complications and long-term disability and gets people back to their regular activities.
People with bleeding disorders do not require laboratory work on a consistent basis that would take them away from the facility.

< Standard process for substance use disorder referrals | Preparing the patient with a BD for the initial outreach or intake call with the residential facility >

*Please note the suggested language is written in the first person, but please alter it accordingly if you are advocating on behalf of your child or loved one.

Considerations During Initial Provider Call to an Inpatient/Residential Treatment Facility

Do

Be honest, direct, and brief.

Refer to the BD as a stable, chronic, and well-managed health condition.

Limit medical terminology.

Suggest that they contact your BD treatment team if they have any questions or concerns.

Let the facility know that your BD team is available to support you during and after your treatment at the behavioral health treatment facility.

Do Not

Bring up your BD initially.

Mention IV or injectable medication until asked.

Provide complicated explanations of a BD or focus on complications.

Suggested language when referring a patient with a BD for inpatient/residential treatment:

Patient has a stable, well-controlled medical condition with an established treatment plan that can be easily managed in the community and at your facility.

If the patient did not have a [mental health condition or substance use disorder], they would be living a full, active life in the community.

With access to medication in the stable environment that your facility provides, we are confident that the patient’s bleeding disorder will be sufficiently controlled throughout their stay at your facility.

The patient has a treatment team available to answer any questions you might have and support you during the patient’s stay at your facility. Can I connect their treatment team with a provider at your facility for a “doctor-to-doctor” call?

Would it be helpful if I got a letter from the patient’s treatment team to assure the facility that the patient is stable from a BD perspective and appropriate for admission?

Suggested language when sharing that the patient self-administers infusion/injection medication:

Patient has a chronic health condition that they manage independently. However, they may need some reasonable accommodations to ensure equitable access to your facility.

Patient has a well-controlled medical condition and self-administers medication that will be taken in private and stored at the facility.

The patient’s bleeding disorder treatment team believes that it is appropriate for the patient to self-administer their bleeding disorder medication both at home and at your facility.

Many people with bleeding disorders, including this patient, self-administer bleeding disorder medicine intravenously or by injection to prevent bleeding. This medicine is very important for maintaining the patient’s health and medical stability and needs to be continued while at your facility.

The patient is fully competent to self-administer their bleeding disorder medication and does not require medical supervision for this process. A staff member may need to monitor the infusion process to ensure that no other substances are infused.

Suggested language when sharing that the patient will need assistance administering infusion/injection medication:

Patient has a well-controlled medical condition that requires regular treatment. The patient may need some reasonable accommodations to ensure equitable access to your facility.

The patient requires assistance to administer their bleeding disorder medication. This can be given by a provider at the facility. If you do not have a provider who is able to give their medication, we would be happy to work with your medical director to develop a plan of care.

Other things to mention about BD medication:

Bleeding disorder medication is not a pain reliever. It is taken to stop the bleeding and allows the blood to clot. Treating bleeds early avoids complications and long-term disability and gets people back to their regular activities.

People with bleeding disorders do not require laboratory work on a consistent basis that would take them away from the facility.

< Standard process for substance use disorder referrals | Preparing the patient with a BD for the initial outreach or intake call with the residential facility >