Mental Health

If you believe your child has a psychiatric emergency, call 911, or go to the nearest emergency room.


Suicide and Crisis Lifeline - Help is available 24/7 - call 988

WHAT WE DO

In cooperation with community based mental health providers, we evaluate and treat children for behavior concerns and school problems including:


  • Inattention and lack of focus
  • Anxiety
  • Depression

Does Your Child Need a Mental Health Evaluation?

If you have concerns about behavioral & mental development, please call our office to discuss your concerns and gather information that will be used to determine how we can best help. If a Behavioral Evaluation with one of our providers is needed, we can provide you with assessment tools that you will need to complete prior to your visit. We typically recommend starting with our Behavioral Health Clinician unless you can provide recent documentation of diagnosis from another clinician. (Note: if it has been a year or more since the diagnosis, an updated assessment will be needed - things change!)

ADD/ADHD 

Assessment tools for Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) that may be assigned to you include:​


  • Vanderbilt Assessment - Parent Initial
  • Vanderbilt Assessment - Teacher Initial


If assigned, please:



  • You will receive the forms during your pre-visit check in by text
  • Teacher Assessments will be sent via email to complete. Please obtain your child's teacher's email address and let him or her know to expect an email our practice regarding your child's assessment


Important! Assessments should be completed PRIOR to your first appointment with our Behavioral Health Clinician.

Anxiety

Assessment tools for anxiety that may be assigned to you include:

  •  Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders (SCARED) - Parent
  •  Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders (SCARED) - Child

If assigned, please:

  •  You will receive the parent forms in the pre-visit check in and the patient will get forms to complete during the visit if age and developmentally appropriate.

Important! All pre-visit check in surveys must be completed PRIOR to the visit!

Depression

Assessment tools for depression that may be assigned to you include:


  •  Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ9)

This will be completed by the patient during the visit.

What to Expect at a Mental Health Evaluation 

Our Behavioral Health Clinician will perform a thorough assessment and develop a behavioral health management plan with you. Our providers may recommend additional counseling and/or a visit with one of our physicians or nurse practitioners to discuss medical management.

If medication is part of the treatment plan, a follow up visit is required within 28 days to assess response to the medication. We recommend scheduling this appointment at the same time you schedule the initial visit with the MD/NP to avoid problems scheduling. This MUST be completed WITHIN 28 days. If the appointment is rescheduled, we may not be able to continue to prescribe these medications due to insurance company oversight of our prescribing practices. If you do not follow up during this time frame, the prescriber is considered to be practicing outside the recommended guidelines. If the prescriber has too many of these infractions, they may suffer consequences from the insurance company. We don't make these rules but must follow them.

Ongoing Medication Management 

After the initial evaluation, if medication is started, you must be seen within 28 days in order to continue the medication as described above.

If the medication is well tolerated, subsequent appointments will be scheduled every 3 months. If a medication or dosage change is needed, please contact your prescriber through the portal with as many details as needed.