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Mental Health Assessments at Mercy Health A mental health assessment is a set of questions and tests conducted by a psychologist or medical professional. It's used to evaluate your symptoms and determine the degree of care that you need regardless of whether you're an outpatient or inpatient. You can also bring a friend with you or have a representative through your local council or through a service such as Rethink. Screening A screening mental health assessment is an examination that determines if a patient functions on a healthy psychological and social level. This kind of assessment is also used to diagnose neurological disorders and diseases. It can also be employed as screening tools for depression, substance use and other ailments. These types of assessments are generally much shorter and less costly than the comprehensive professional evaluations provided by mental health professionals. In general, a screening assessment involves a brief interview with the person being assessed and questions about current and past symptoms, when they started and the length of time they've been present. The patient might be asked about her family history of mental illness or when she's been diagnosed with a different condition. It is important to discuss with a healthcare professional about the patient's feelings and thoughts. During the screening the healthcare provider may inquire about any concerns or fears she might have. The healthcare professional will inquire with the patient about any medications she is taking and how they're functioning. It's generally recommended for the patient to bring a friend or family member along to the interview and to be as honest as they can. After a brief interview, it is likely that the healthcare professional will administer some tests. These tests will vary based on the kind of test that is being carried out. Rating scales are used to assist patients in understanding complicated emotions and feelings. These tests are useful in determining the severity and the treatment for the disorder. Other assessment tools include lists of symptoms, which are lists that contain possible symptoms and can be used to diagnose a specific disorder. These tools should be used with caution since they do not take into account all the psychological, biological, and cultural factors in a patient’s life. Another way in which the patient's thoughts and feelings are analyzed is by analyzing the content of her thoughts. This will examine the capacity of her brain to form coherent thoughts and connect between things that appear unrelated to one another. Thought content analysis can be useful in identifying disorders such as hallucinations that are either visual, tactile, olfactory, or auditory or delusions, such as the belief of special powers, status, or being targeted by others; obsessive compulsive behaviors; and phobias. Diagnosis Mental health assessments can help identify the cause of a patient's symptoms, like depression or anxiety. They can also aid doctors in determining the best treatment plan for their patients. Mercy's behavioral health specialists are able to perform a thorough and comprehensive assessment. They will ask about the patient's current medications and herbal supplements and other over-the-counter medications. They will also inquire if there is any family history of mental illness. During the diagnosis stage of the mental assessment the doctor will conduct a physical exam of the patient to rule out any neurological conditions or diseases which may contribute to their symptoms. This involves evaluating motor functions, reflexes, sensations, gait and posture. Additionally, the physician will conduct a neurological examination of eye movements and visual field to determine if they are normal. The physician will also evaluate the patient's cognitive ability, which includes their ability to reason, think, and remember. He or she will look at the patient's appearance, and determine whether or not he is dressed appropriate for their age and maintains a high standard of hygiene. He or she will listen to the patient in order to be able to understand what they are thinking and feeling. Psychologists may employ a variety of instruments and tests to evaluate the patient's mood and behavior. For instance, they can test for depression and anxiety by asking the patient questions or providing them a brief questionnaire. They can also perform a more thorough test to assess the levels in the brain of certain chemicals. A psychiatric assessment can include a discussion of the patient's social situation and relationships. It may also include a discussion on the patient's experiences in the past, such as traumas that occurred in childhood. It is essential to comprehend the patient's psychological and social situation in order to provide the most effective treatment. Treatment Everybody experiences difficult times. If you, or someone you love has symptoms that aren't normal, it could be time to get assistance. A mental health evaluation can help to pinpoint the issue and determines which type of treatment will help. It is usually performed by a psychologist, psychiatrist or a medical doctor. During the assessment the healthcare specialist will ask questions directly and observe objectively. They will also look at the patient's medical history, including the family history, any previous mental illnesses, and any current medication the patient is taking. The healthcare provider will want to know whether the patient uses herbal remedies or nutritional supplements, as well as non-prescription medicines. 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 family, social life, and work. They will look for problems such as a lack of motivation, issues in maintaining close relationships, and avoiding situations which trigger negative emotions. They will also determine the presence of any suicidal thoughts or thoughts or feelings. They will talk to the patient about their routine and habits, such as whether they drink alcohol or take any illicit drugs. The healthcare professional might also suggest other physical exams such as blood tests or computed tomography (CT scan) in order to determine if there is a physical cause for the symptoms that are being experienced. The thoughts will be evaluated by direct questions and the examination of the topics discussed during the interview. A thought disorder is an abnormal way of thinking, which could include hallucinations – visions of people, objects or events that are not there; delusions – conviction of false beliefs regardless of evidence to the contrary; compulsive and obsessive behaviors; and looseness of association and the tendency to make unrelated connections between seemingly unrelated subjects. The healthcare professional will discuss the findings with the patient following the psychiatric examination. The healthcare professional will determine a treatment plan. This will be a combination of medication and psychotherapy, dependent on the diagnosis and the patient's individual requirements. Once the patient feels better and is able to function normally, they will be released. It is important to conduct periodic assessments to assess the effectiveness of the treatment. These assessments can be conducted in many ways, including asking clients to complete questionnaires regularly or using software such as Quenza to gauge factors such as cognition and mood. Follow-up Clinicians should evaluate the impact therapeutic interventions have had on the lives of clients at the conclusion of each session. Indicators could include whether the client has achieved the goals they set for themselves when seeking therapy, for instance, greater life domain happiness or if they're more resilient in the face of challenges. Alternatively, clinicians may need to monitor the progress of a patient throughout the entire treatment path for example, a continuous series of meditation classes. For instance, therapists who use Quenza's preloaded “Life Domain Satisfaction” activity can ask clients to assess their satisfaction with 16 different aspects of their lives using 10-point rating scales. This is a good method to gauge progress since it lets clients track their wellbeing over time. It also provides helpful indicators for assessing mental health improvements. The Cultural Formulation Interview is another instrument that can be utilized to gather qualitative data as part of the mental health assessment. The goal of CFI is to provide clinicians with an extensive picture of the patient's cultural background CFI also includes additional modules that can be used to gather collateral information from caregivers and family members. A formal dissecting of specific cognitive abilities is a more reductionistic approach to the patient and involves testing a range of tasks like attention, memory, and higher-ordered thinking capabilities. IamPsychiatry is best done at the end of the doctor-patient meeting to encourage cooperation and reduce resistance. After patients have been released from psychiatric centers and are discharged from psychiatric hospitals, a questionnaire for patient evaluation can be used to assess their progress. These questionnaires permit to compare the patient's responses and the responses of other patients in the same clinic. They also serve as an indicator of improvement that can measured over time.