---
title: Adding a Client’s Medication
description: "YouthCenter makes it easy to track medication and medication distribution schedules. To add a new client-specific medication, you must first select a client through either the Search application under the Case Manager application or by using the Search Clients search…"
url: "https://docs.youthcenter.net/docs/adding-a-new-clients-medication/"
updated: "2026-10-15"
category: Facility
tags:
  - "Facility: Medications"
  - Medical
  - Medications
---

# Adding a Client’s Medication

YouthCenter makes it easy to track medication and medication distribution schedules. To add a new client-specific medication, you must first select a client through either the Search application under the Case Manager application or by using the Search Clients search bar in the top right of the screen.

![YouthCenter dashboard with red arrow graphics pointing to the Search clients box in the top right and to Search under Case Manager in the left navigation](https://docs.youthcenter.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Searching-for-a-client-1024x237.png)

Once a client is selected, expand the Case Manager and Medical navigation items, then select the Medication application.

![Case Manager menu expanded for a current client with the Medical section open, and a red arrow graphic pointing to the Medication item](https://docs.youthcenter.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Menu-Case-Manager-Medical-Medications-1.jpg)

## Select the placement associated with the medication

Once on the medications screen, first determine if you'd like this new medication attached to a specific facility placement, or if you'd like the medication to span across multiple facility placements. If you'd like the medication record to span multiple intakes, select the placement (Placement dates) bar and select None (Not associated with a placement) from the dropdown. This is common for clients that enter or leave the facility regularly (Examples: Day treatment, school release, residency programs)

![Client Medications page for a client with numbered blue circle graphics: 1 on the Placements filter button and 2 on the None (Not associated with a placement) option in its drop-down](https://docs.youthcenter.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/image.png)

Once you have selected the associated placement, press the green + New Medication buttons to the right of the Client Medications header.

![Client Medications page for a client listing medications and medication schedules, with a red arrow graphic pointing to the green New Medication button next to the Client Medications heading](https://docs.youthcenter.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Medication-view-screen-New-Medication-Button-1024x517.jpg)

## Search for existing medications

First, check if the system already has the medication details by typing the medication name into the Medication field. If the system already has the medication you can skip the next step.

![New Client Medication form with the Medication drop-down empty and a red arrow graphic pointing to its drop-down arrow, above the Prescription, Prescribed Date, Prescribed By, Approved By and Notes fields, with a green New Medication button to the right](https://docs.youthcenter.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Medication-new-screen-medication-arrow-1024x517.jpg)

## Add a new medication to the system

If the system doesn't already have the medication, select the green "+ New medication" button. Enter the medication details and then press "save."

![New Medication window with Medication Name, Medication Strength, Medication Type set to Tablet, and Requires Prescription and Is Narcotic checkboxes, with Cancel and Save buttons](https://docs.youthcenter.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/image-1.png)

(Note: If you do not see the medication type you need, contact your administrator; they can update the dropdown through the [picklist admin](https://docs.youthcenter.net/docs/administration-picklist-dropdown-management/))

## Add a medication to the client

Now that the medication is in the system, you can add it to the client. Select the medication by typing the name of the medication into the Medication field.

You can either then use the prescription shorthand which understands basic distribution instructions or enter the distribution plan in the prescription field below that. Enter the other fields as desired.

## Adding an Initial Quantity

By selecting the Add Initial Quantity checkbox, you can set the initial count of the medicine.

Finally, you can press Save to be taken to a summary page, or press Save and List to go back to the medication overview page.

If the client medication you've added needs to be dispensed regularly, it is highly recommended you set up a medication schedule.

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