Primary Mental Health Care
Wellness Checkups
What is a Mental Health Wellness Checkup?
The aim of a mental health wellness checkup is to detect and address mental health concerns in a proactive way. Just as we prioritize physical exams to monitor our physical health, regular mental health checkups are equally important. These checkups provide an opportunity to discuss any concerns or difficulties we may be facing, and to openly address our emotional, psychological, and social needs. By engaging in these checkups, parents and adolescents can gain insights into their mental health status, identify and manage potential risk factors, and develop coping strategies for stress and other challenges. Moreover, mental health wellness checkups promote self-awareness, reduce stigma around mental health issues, and encourage early intervention. Taking care of our mental health through regular checkups empowers individuals to lead happier, healthier lives.
What is included in a
Wellness Checkup?
During our mental health wellness checkups, several assessments are typically included to assess various aspects of a child or young adult’s mental wellbeing. Here is a list of some common assessments that may be conducted:
Behavioral Assessment
We will observe and evaluate your child's behavior patterns to help identify any maladaptive behaviors, emotional disturbances, or significant changes in behavior.
Psychosocial Assessment
We will examine your child’s relationships with family, friends, and peers, as well as their overall emotional functioning and coping skills.
Developmental Assessment
This assessment can measure a younger child's developmental milestones and progress across various domains including cognitive, language, motor, and social-emotional development. It helps identify any delays or deviations in their development.
Emotional Assessment
This assessment aims to evaluate a child or young adult’s emotional state, including their feelings, mood, and temperament. It may involve the child self-reporting or the caregiver providing information about the child's emotional experiences.
Risk Assessment
This assessment helps identify any potential risk factors in a child or young adult’s life such as a history of trauma, exposure to violence, risk of self-harm, or family dynamics that may contribute to mental health concerns. Recognizing and addressing these risks is crucial for effective intervention.
Screening for Mental Health Conditions
Our comprehensive mental health checkups involve screening tools specifically designed to identify childhood mental health disorders such as anxiety, depression, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism, and conduct disorders. These screenings can provide an initial indication of potential mental health concerns.
Family History Assessment
Evaluating your family’s history of mental health conditions can offer insights into any genetic or environmental factors that may increase your child’s vulnerability to certain disorders. It helps inform prevention, early intervention, and treatment strategies.
Assessment of Protective Factors
It is important to assess the presence of protective factors that can promote a child's mental wellbeing such as supportive relationships, access to resources, healthy coping mechanisms, and positive school environments.
What does a Mental Health Wellness Checkup look like?
Our mental health wellness checkups begin with an initial interview with the patient and/or their parents, during which we gather relevant background information and complete a variety of the above assessments to get a better understanding of your child’s specific situation, concerns, or areas of difficulty. We will observe your child by video or in our office. You will also be asked to complete a set of behavioral rating scales.
We then carefully analyze and interpret the data collected and formulate a plan of care which may include diagnostic impressions, recommendations for preventative care, interventions, and accommodations, and educational planning strategies. In some cases, a more comprehensive evaluation may be recommended to assess cognitive or academic abilities, learning disorders, personality traits, and specific mental health conditions.
Ready to schedule a checkup?
We know how difficult it can be to see your child struggling. Reach out to our office by completing the contact form below. A brief consultation will be arranged to discuss your concerns, review your child's background information, and answer any questions you may have.