When you first begin care with a new provider for your child or teen, knowing how to effectively communicate your needs and concerns can set you up for success, regardless of level of care. There are many stages of intake and treatment at which you can approach providers with the intention of sharing your needs.
At the beginning of care at any level, you will likely follow a similar intake process. Often, intake processes begin with phone screens, which are short-duration phone calls where you will be asked to share your primary concerns, demographics, and mental health history to assess your fit for care with that provider. The phone screen is also an opportunity for you to ask the screener questions about the types of services that the provider provides, fees, insurance, and anything else that might be on your mind to determine if they are a good fit for you as well. Most of the time, a phone screen or short consultation of this nature is free. This initial part of intake is a first check to see if working together would be feasible, and if the provider meets your needs.
Following the initial phone screen or consultation, if you feel comfortable moving forward and the provider has openings, you will likely be scheduled for an intake session. Each provider may conduct intake sessions or intake assessments differently, but the goal is the same. The provider will aim to collect more thorough information about the needs of the individual and if that client is a child, they will seek both the child’s input and the caregiver’s input. Providers hope to understand the kid or teen in more detail and determine if the services they provide are at the appropriate level of care for their needs. Learn more about the Center for Effective Therapy’s intake assessments here.
While many intakes will be structured by the provider, it is your opportunity to communicate your main concerns, share examples from your daily life, and provide any additional documentation that may be useful for your provider in determining a treatment plan. If your child has had previous assessments, bring in the documentation for the provider to look at. Even if the assessment itself is outdated, the report can provide useful insights for the provider into your child’s mental health trajectory over time. If your child has had mental health care experience prior, come prepared to share with the provider what that treatment looked like, what you did and did not like about it, and what worked. In addition, if you are noticing specific symptoms that are concerning to you, try to keep track of them for a few days to a week to give the provider a more data driven look at the symptoms you are reporting. Knowing the frequency, intensity, and duration of problems can help the provider come to an understanding about the child’s needs. Providers also know that mental health symptoms are not always isolated, so they will ask you about your child’s medical and social history. Come prepared to report any challenges in birth, medical difficulties, and social stressors including potentially traumatic events. The more information that you share about your experiences up to the point of intake, the better the new provider can tailor the recommended interventions to your child and family.
The phone screening and the intake sessions are the first opportunity to communicate with your provider, and being open throughout this process can help set you up for success. Of course, the communication does not stop once treatment begins. Throughout a course of treatment, communication is necessary to ensure that the provider, child or teen and caregivers are on the same page. If new concerns arise, or new information comes from school or medical professionals, tell your provider about it and help get them any documentation. Treatment plans are created following the intake but are adjusted as needed throughout the treatment process.
Want to learn more?
- Book an appointment for treatment
- Watch our levels of care webinar
- Read The World of Mental Health: Navigating Levels of Care
- Contact us