Patient and Caregiver Registry
Who is considered a caregiver?
​
The Act defines a “caregiver” as an individual 21 years of age or older, unless otherwise authorized by the department, who is:
-
Designated by a patient;
-
A parent, legal guardian or spouse of a patient that is under the age of 18; and/or
-
Designated to be a caregiver by a parent, legal guardian or spouse of an individual approved by the department if no parent or legal guardian is appropriate or available.
Caregivers must register with the department and complete a criminal history background check* in order to receive a medical marijuana caregiver ID card. Each patient is allowed to have up to two designated caregivers. Each caregiver may be linked to up 5 patients.
​
*The card is issued to the caregiver only after the caregiver submits fingerprints and passes a criminal background check to determine their “character, fitness, and suitability” to serve as caregiver. Notably, no criminal background check is required for patients to participate in the state’s program. The state will pay particular attention to whether a caregiver has been convicted of a criminal offense relating to the sale or possession of drugs, narcotics, or controlled substances in the past five years. Further, the regulations permit the DOH to review the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program database prior to approving a caregiver’s application card. If the caregiver has “a history of drug abuse or of diverting controlled substances or illegal drugs,” the state reserves the right to deny the application.
Here's what to expect when you visit the website for the
Pennsylvania Department of Health Medical Marijuana Program.
That page gives a lot of information, so it's a good idea to start there.
​
​
From the information page, you can follow a link to the Patient and Caregiver Registry to sign up for a medical marijuana card for yourself (an Adult Patient) or to sign up as a Caregiver.
There are four Caregiver options to choose from:
-
Choose the first caregiver link if you are signing up for the first time as a caregiver and the medical marijuana patient has not had another caretaker before.
-
Choose the second link if the person on whose behalf you will be visiting a dispensary is already a medical marijuana patient and you are going to be a replacing another caregiver.
-
Choose the third link if the patient you will be designated a Caregiver of is not already registered as a medical marijuana patient and you have not previously been a medical marijuana patient caregiver.
-
Choose option the last link if you are a health professional providing caregiver services.
​
