Behavioral Health
Does Your Child Need A Behavioral Evaluation?
What We Do
In cooperation with community based mental health providers, we evaluate and treat children for behavior concerns.
- Inattention and Hyperactivity
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Adjustment Concerns
- School Problems
If you have concerns about your child's behavioral development, please call our office to speak with one of our nurses. This will allow us to discuss your concerns and gather information that will be used to determine how we can best help your child. If a Behavioral Evaluation with one of our providers is needed, we will schedule this visit for you and provide you with assessment tools that you can complete prior to the your visit.
What to Expect at a Behavioral Evaluation
Please complete the requested assessments prior to your appointment.
Bring with you any school reports, school testing or copies of your child's IEP (if they have one.) Depending on your specific concerns and your child's age/development, your first visit may be scheduled as a parent-only visit or as a parent and child visit.
Please confirm this with our front desk who will clarify with our clinical team.
Assessment tools to complete for children ages 5-12:
- Vanderbilt ADHD Assessment - Parent Initial
- Vanderbilt ADHD Assessment - Teacher Initial
- Vanderbilt ADHD Assessment-Parent Follow-up
- Vanderbilt ADHD Assessment -Teacher Follow-up
- SCARED (Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders) - Parent
- SCARED (Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders) – Child
- PSC (Pediatric Symptom Checklist ages 4-10)
- PSC-Y (Pedicatric Symptom Checklist Youth age 11-12)
Assessment tools to be complete for children ages 13-18:
- Vanderbilt ADHD Assessment - Parent Initial
- Vanderbilt ADHD Assessment - Teacher Initial
- Vanderbilt ADHD Assessment-Parent Follow-up
- Vanderbilt ADHD Assessment -Teacher Follow-up
- SCARED (Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders ) - Parent
- SCARED (Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders ) – Child
- GAD-7
- Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ9)
- CRAFFT Screening Tool
Assessment tools used on a case by case basis include:
Completing the Assessments:
- You will be directed to complete the Parent Assessments.
- You will be directed to invite your child’s teacher to complete the Teacher Assessment
Children who are on Psychiatric Medications:
If the doctor prescribes medication, he/she will want to follow up with your child within a few weeks to assess your child's progress, see if your child is having any side effects and to determine if the medication can be refilled.
Please schedule this appointment before you leave the office.
Ongoing Medication Management
It may take several visits to fine tune your child's medications. Once we see that your child is doing well with his/her medication, subsequent appointments will be scheduled about every 3 months. If a medication or dosage change is needed, your child must be seen within a month to assess your child's progress and to determine if the medication can be refilled. As we do medication adjustments, we may ask you to complete follow-up behavioral health questionnaires or have the school complete them as well.
Stimulant Medications for ADHD
Prescriptions for these medications require special monitoring as they are considered "Controlled Medications" by the Federal Drug Adminstration (FDA.) This means that these prescriptions require special handling and typically require monthly contact with our office. We will want to know how your child is doing and whether they are having any side effects. Without these touch points, we can not refill these medications.
ADHD Parents Medication Guide from the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry https://www.aacap.org/App_Themes/AACAP/docs/resource_centers/resources/med_guides/ADHD_Medication_Guide-web.pdf