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Mental Health Assessments at Mercy Health A mental health assessment is a set of questions and tests administered by a medical professional or psychologist. It is used to assess your symptoms and determine the level of care you require, whether it's outpatient or inpatient. You can bring an acquaintance along or have a representative through your local council or through a service such as Rethink. Screening A screening mental assessment is a test used to determine whether a patient is functioning at an adequate level both socially and psychologically. This type of assessment can also be used to identify neurological disorders and other illnesses. It can be used as an assessment tool for depression, substance abuse and other ailments. These types of assessments are generally much shorter and less expensive than the complete, professional evaluations that are provided by mental health professionals. A screening test usually involves a brief interview with the person who is being assessed. Questions are asked about the present and past symptoms and when they began and the length of time they've been present. The patient could also be asked about her family background of mental illness or if she's been diagnosed with any other condition. It is also important to discuss the patient's feelings, thoughts and feelings with a healthcare professional. During the exam, the healthcare provider will ask the patient if she has particular concerns or fears. The doctor will also inquire about any medication the patient is currently taking and how well it's working. It's generally recommended for the patient to bring a family or friend member along to the interview and to be as transparent as possible. After a short interview, it is expected that the healthcare professional will administer some tests. The tests will differ based on the kind of test that is being done. Rating scales can be used to assist patients in understanding complex emotions and feelings. These tests can be useful in determining the severity of a disorder as well as in the planning of treatment. Other assessment tools include symptom checklists, which are lists of possible symptoms that can be used to identify a specific disorder. These tools should be used with caution as they don't consider all of the biological, psychosocial and cultural aspects of the patient's life. Another way in how the patient's thoughts and emotions are analyzed is through an analysis of her thought content. This will look at her ability to form coherent ideas and make connections between things that appear unrelated to one another. Thought content analysis can be used to identify disorders such as hallucinations, no matter if they are visual, auditory or olfactory, delusions like the belief that a person is a special person, has a status, or is victimized by others; and the phobias. Diagnosis Mental health assessments can help identify the root of symptoms such as anxiety or depression. They can also aid doctors in determining the right treatment plan for their patients. Mercy behavioral health experts are able to conduct a thorough and comprehensive assessment. They will inquire about their current medications, and also any herbal supplements or over-the-counter remedies they are taking. They will also inquire whether there is a family history of mental illness. During the diagnosis portion of the mental health assessment, a doctor will conduct a physical exam of the patient to rule out any possible neurological conditions or diseases that may be contributing to the patient's symptoms. This includes assessing motor functions, reflexes and sensations, gait and posture. The doctor will also conduct an examination of the neurological function of the eye movements to determine whether they are normal. The physician will also assess the patient's cognitive function, which includes his or her ability to think, reason, and remember. mental health assessment online or she will examine the patient's appearance, and determine if he or she is dressed appropriately for their age, and maintains a high standard of hygiene. The doctor will listen to the patient to be able to understand what they are thinking and feeling. Psychologists can use a variety of tools and tests to evaluate the mood of a patient, their thinking and behavior. For instance, they could test for depression and anxiety by asking the patient questions or giving them a brief questionnaire. They can also perform a more thorough test to assess the levels in the brain of specific chemicals. A psychiatric evaluation may include a discussion on the patient's relationships and their social situation. It may also include a discussion of the patient's experiences in the past, such as childhood traumas. It is important to understand the patient's psychological social, developmental, and social circumstances to provide the best possible treatment. Treatment Everybody experiences difficult times. But if you, or someone you love has symptoms that aren't typical, it might be time to seek out help. A mental health assessment helps identify the problem and determines what type of treatment can assist. It is usually performed by a psychologist, psychiatrist or a medical doctor. During the examination, the healthcare professional will ask questions direct and observe objectively. They will also consider the patient's history, including family history, prior psychiatric illnesses and any medications that the patient is taking. The healthcare provider might also inquire about any prescription drugs, nutritional supplements and herbal remedies that the patient is taking, as well. This is because certain physical conditions have similar symptoms as mental disorders and the healthcare provider needs to determine if they are a result of mental illness. The healthcare professional may inquire about the patient's work, social life and family. They will be looking for signs of a lack motivation, difficulties in maintaining relationships and avoiding situations which trigger negative emotions. They will also determine the presence of any suicidal thoughts or feelings. They will discuss with the patient about their habits and lifestyle, including whether they drink alcohol or are using any illegal drugs. The healthcare professional could also suggest other physical exams like blood tests or computed tomography (CT scan) in order to rule out physical causes for the symptoms being experienced. The thoughts will be analyzed through direct questions and the analysis of the topics raised during the interview. A thought disorder is an abnormal way of thinking, which could include hallucinations – visions of objects, people, or events that aren't present; delusions – belief of false beliefs despite evidence to the contrary; obsessions and compulsions – repetitive behavior; and lack of association – the tendency to make irrelevant connections between unrelated topics. After the psychiatric assessment, the healthcare professional will record the results and discuss them with the patient. They will then prescribe a treatment program. The treatment will comprise a combination of psychotherapy and medication, dependent on the diagnosis of the patient and individual requirements. When the patient is feeling better, he or she is released. It is essential to conduct regular assessments in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment. They can be conducted in a variety of ways, such as asking clients to fill out questionnaires regularly or using software like Quenza to assess things like mood and cognition. Follow-up Clinicians must evaluate the impact therapeutic interventions have had on the lives of their clients at the end of every session. The indicators could include whether they have fulfilled their initial goals for seeking therapy, like more satisfaction in their lives or if they are more resilient in the face of difficulties. Alternatively, clinicians may need to track a patient's progress through the entire treatment process for example, a continuous series of meditation classes. For instance, therapists who use Quenza's preloaded “Life Domain Satisfaction” activity could ask clients to rate their satisfaction with 16 different aspects of their lives based on 10-point scales of rating. This is a helpful way to measure progress, since it allows clients to monitor changes in their wellbeing over time, and provides helpful indicators for assessing the improvement of mental health. The Cultural Formulation Interview (CFI) is a different tool for collecting qualitative data during the mental health assessment. The goal of CFI is to provide clinicians with a comprehensive understanding of the patient's culture CFI comes with additional modules that can be used to collect collateral information from caregivers and family members. A formal examination of a specific cognitive abilities is an approach that is more limiting to the patient and involves assessing a range of tasks such as attention, memory and higher-ordered thinking capacities. Ideally, this is done at the end of the physician-patient encounter in order to enlist patient cooperation rather than resistance. A questionnaire for evaluation of patients is an important tool that can be administered to patients following their release from psychiatric facilities. These questionnaires allow a comparison between the responses of the patient and those of other patients in the same clinic. They also provide an indication of progress that can measured over time.