Forging Lasting Connections
The first steps towards diagnosis and treatment are comprehensive screenings and evaluations. Within the Children & Youth Mental Health Program at Rochester Regional Health, children and teens are evaluated by a primary therapist at their initial visit to determine how we can best help them, and whether ongoing care is needed.
Our evaluations look at the psychiatric, emotional, social, family, and medical issues surrounding your child, allowing us to better understand your family as a whole, and preparing us to offer individualized care.
Working around your needs, our open access providers are available right at our clinic and prioritize individualizing care to your child?s needs. We do not try to fit anyone into our program?we create a program that will work around your child?s goals. With ready access providers, we prioritize getting your child on our calendar so our multidisciplinary team can provide constant contact and 360 degrees of help.
What is a Comprehensive Psychiatric Evaluation?
Used to help diagnose a wide variety of behavioral, emotional, or developmental disorders, a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation is made based on present behaviors. Cognitive, educational, environmental, genetic, physical, or social parts of your child?s life may be affected by these behaviors, which is why we delve deeper than the surface. Our experienced mental health providers take a whole-body look at your adolescent, ensuring their evaluation leaves no stone unturned.
What happens during a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation?
Because each child is different, each evaluation is a little different. Still, however, there are common parts you?ll find in most, if not all. Your child?s evaluation may include:
- Complete medical history
- Personal and family history of behavioral, developmental, or emotional disorders
- An in-depth description of behaviors (when behaviors happen, how long they last, what are the environments/conditions in which the behaviors happen most often)
- An in-depth description of symptoms (both physical and psychiatric)
- Effects of behaviors and symptoms on:
- Activities
- Family
- Relationships
- School or work performance
- Lab tests to determine if an underlying medical condition is present
- Psychiatric interview
Once your child?s evaluation is complete, their primary therapist will develop a formulation. This describes your child?s problems - if any - and explains them clearly enough for you and your child to understand. Your child?s formulation will combine any biological, psychological, and social aspects of the problem with history, developmental and social needs.
Your child can be assessed by a child psychiatrist or psychiatric nurse practitioner with the family present to review presenting symptoms and diagnoses. The doctor or nurse practitioner can prescribe medications with the mutual agreement of the family.
We perform psychiatric evaluations at the following locations:
- Genesee Behavioral Health Center
- Throughout the community in our School-Based Mental Health Programs
We also offer Emergency Psychiatric Services 24-hours a day at Clifton Springs Hospital & Clinic. Please call 211 or 911 in a true emergency.
Starting the Evaluation Process
The first people to suspect behavioral, developmental, or emotional disorders in a child are often family members, teachers, or friends, and loved ones. These disorders can cause your child to behave in a destructive, rebellious, or sad manner, and can impact relationships, schoolwork, and their life as a whole.
If you, your family, or your loved ones suspect a problem with your child, it?s important to seek an evaluation as quickly as possible. Treatment options abound and are effective and safe for children.
Common Evaluation Concerns
Your child?s psychiatrist is here to support them and you, not to judge or assign blame. We want the best for your child and family, so we will listen to your concerns and help your child work towards defined goals. If, at any point, there are questions or concerns, you are welcome to ask away.
Common concerns we hear include:
- Am I to blame?
- Is my child normal?
- Will she/he outgrow these behaviors?
- How can the family help?
- What does this diagnosis mean?
- Does my child need treatment?
When a diagnosis or a treatable problem has been identified, your therapist will create a personalized treatment plan for your child. Family involvement and active participation are vitally important for anyone with a mental health disorder. Your child?s psychiatrist can offer tips and ideas for helping and supporting your child.
Child and adolescent psychiatrists are specially trained and skilled in performing comprehensive psychiatric evaluations and will put this skill to use to ensure we get the most thorough, accurate diagnosis possible.