Comprehensive Psychiatric Evaluation

During this evaluation, the provider talks with you and your child about:

• The current issue and related symptoms
• Your child’s medical history, including any past or current medications, health status, illnesses, and prior mental health
  evaluations and treatments
• Family medical history, including any history of mental illness
• Your child’s development
• Your child’s social interactions, including relationships with family, peers, and school professionals

The provider has an interview with your child and may meet individually with you or other caregivers. The provider may also speak with your child’s teachers or other healthcare providers. In some cases, blood tests, x-rays, or additional evaluations are needed.

This evaluation can take two to five hours to complete and is likely to take place over multiple office visits. Based on this evaluation, the provider makes a diagnosis and develops a treatment plan. As part of developing the treatment plan, the provider does a medication evaluation. Based on the information the provider has gathered, they determine if the child would benefit from medication. If the child would benefit, the provider determines what types of medication the child should be taking as part of treatment.

Access

Get a referral from your child’s pediatrician. You can also get a recommendation from your child’s school, childcare provider, or other parents or friends. In some cases, an evaluation may be done through the school system or Early Intervention.

Providers

• Child and adolescent psychiatrist

Location

Evaluations are done in a provider's office at a hospital, community mental health care center, or private practice.

Learn more about mental health evaluations