A Mental Health Assessment is designed for the purpose of evaluating and building up an accurate picture of an individual’s needs.

The initial process may consist of an intake by a nurse and then a mental health professional. There are a variety of intake formats. The mental health assessment is a combination of assessment tools that are designed to measure behavioral health symptoms and some questions that are commonly geared to an individual’s unique situation.

A professional may ask some of the following questions and utilize what is relevant.

• Mental health symptoms and experiences
• Feelings, thoughts and behavior
• Overall physical health
• Socioeconomics – such as housing and financial circumstances
• Academics, skills, and career achievements
• Social status and family relations
• Cultural, ethnic, sexuality, and gender
• Substance use – such as alcohol or drugs
• Suicide risk screening

Individuals will be given the opportunity to share additional pertinent information about concerns and life challenges. The process is completely confidential and it takes about 90-minutes.

It is a common practice for the mental health professional to discuss a course of action for possible Counseling.