Treating a mental illness may require visiting different mental health specialists in order to get the best care. Keeping your child’s medical information organized is important because it creates a paper trail and helps your child receive care that is coordinated and comprehensive. 

There are several items that you should bring to every appointment for your child. It may be helpful to keep these materials in a binder or a folder:

• Copies of any prior evaluations. Never give providers the original copy of an evaluation, but let them make a copy for their records.
• List of current or past medications that have been prescribed for your child. The list should include the dates the medication was prescribed, dosages, how your child responded to the medication, and any reasons a specific medication was stopped.
• Copies of school records. These can include report cards or notes from teachers that represent your child’s strengths or problem areas. It could also include any notes or reports from school that document your child’s in-school behaviors (for example, how they interact with teachers or other students).
• Copies or explanations of prior treatments and a list of providers your child has seen.
• Any written or illustrated work your child has done that may show the struggle they are having.