The term “med noncompliant” must never appear in a mental health peer’s medical records, and any psych provider who notes this in a peer’s medical record must be stripped of licensure and never be allowed to treat peers ever again.

Sure, that’s obviously hyperbolic, but it’s no less extreme than such front end loaded nonsense, that a peer must take psych meds or be branded as difficult, stubborn, and not serious about their treatment. Bite the big green weenie, you psych providers who use “med noncompliant” in a peer’s notes. You don’t make the choice for a peer and you have no authority over a peer’s treatment options and decisions.

It’s the peer’s decision on all treatment strategies. As a psych provider, you are like our mechanic. We tell you what’s wrong under the hood and you make recommendations based upon your professional training. You are a professional collaborative advisor and not a legal treatment guardian.

With few exceptions, notating “med noncompliant” is an inappropriate assessment that assumes an authority not given by the peer. It’s okay to notate something like “peer chose not to try meds at this time” because that is factual information useful to the peer in future treatment. It’s also the type of honest information useful to other providers, because when you write “med noncompliant” in a peer’s medical charts enough times that peer will fire you and find a new provider. This happens, providers being fired by the peer.

Recap: Never say a peer is “med noncompliant” for saying no to your medical advice. Medical advice is not one size fits all and it’s the absolute and ultimate choice of the peer whether to accept your medical advice.

Our brain, our choice. Simple.

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