Picking up the phone and calling a treatment center can feel uncomfortable, especially when you’re already dealing with mental health issues. Maybe you know something has to change but don’t know what your first step should look like.
The mental health intake process is designed to provide an organized first step that enables you to explain what has been happening and learn what type of care may help.[1][2] During a mental health assessment, clinicians will strive to understand your situation and recommend a level of care that can help you feel safe and stabilized.[1]
This page is here to help you understand the mental health assessment process by exploring:
When you’re anxious, depressed, burned out, or in crisis, it can be hard to explain your situation. This is why having an effective mental health assessment matters.
Put simply, an intake assessment is the first meeting between you and a mental health provider. It’s where you get the opportunity to talk about what you’re going through, and the provider has a chance to think about the best approach for your needs. This assessment can take place over the phone or in person.
The person doing the admission assessment will encourage you to think about your symptoms, and they will pay close attention to notice your fears or uncertainty.[1] The conversation is about sharing enough information to make helpful recommendations.
They’ll want to know about things like safety concerns, medications, current support networks, and whether you’ll require outpatient, residential, or inpatient care.[1]
At AMFM, the intake process can include:[1]
That means that even the first conversation is geared toward listening and understanding your needs.
Clinical team members listen for symptoms and safety concerns during your explanation of current challenges.[3]
The admissions assessment may include questions about symptoms like:[4]
Some of these questions may initially feel very personal. But they help the team get a sense of:[1]
Diagnosis and care plans can look different for every person who receives one. A thorough assessment takes into account how your symptoms are affecting your day-to-day life, beyond the label itself.[1][4]
So, in a nutshell, what a mental health assessment is looking for is your unique experience – so you can get the care that fits and provides you with the highest level of safety and quality. This evaluation should help connect your symptoms, daily challenges, and safety needs to a recommendation that makes sense for your life.[1]
Yes, there is a difference between the two processes. A screening is typically brief, so it can be completed more quickly than a mental health assessment. It may include simple questions or brief checklists that guide clinicians toward topics of concern, which would then require further exploration.[2]
Screening questions can be about the conditions listed above.[4][3] The answers to these give the team a starting point for what to ask about during the assessment conversation.
In contrast, an assessment is a more in-depth look at your situation. For example, a behavioral health assessment looks at how your mental health, coping patterns, substance use, relationships, and safety needs are affecting your ability to function day to day.
A clinician will also want to know about things that put you at risk or help keep you safe. So they’ll ask about your coping skills and current support network as well as what types of care you’re interested in, so they can recommend what might actually help you.[4]
To put the differences between the two processes succinctly:
Formal screening and assessment tools are a great place to start, but they can’t tell your whole story. You are the expert on what symptoms you’ve been experiencing, how long you’ve experienced them, and what you want to address first.
A psychiatric assessment takes steps toward a more comprehensive clinical understanding of your mental health.[4] Psychiatric assessments may be completed by a psychiatrist, psychiatric nurse practitioner, or other licensed mental health professional.[1]
During these conversations, the clinician may ask about:[1]
They will likely also take note of how you express yourself, remember details, describe your mood, and interact with them during the assessment.[1]
Another purpose of the assessment is to determine if any current psychiatric medication needs to be adjusted.[1] If you’re not currently on medication, the clinician will assess whether it might be helpful.
If appropriate, medication may help stabilize your mood and balance symptoms of mental health conditions. However, medication can have side effects, so the assessment aims to determine which one might be most appropriate for your needs. The effects will also be closely monitored and adjusted throughout your treatment.
If there is an immediate safety concern, like suicidal thoughts, self-harm urges, recent crisis, or unmanageable moments of distress, safety planning will be included in the assessment.[5][6]
A safety plan is essentially a list of steps to take if your symptoms become difficult to manage.[7] This plan will include:[6][7]
When safety plans are personalized and realistic, they’re easier to access and understand, even when your mind is flooded with emotions.[7]
Safety planning has been shown to be an effective tool for reducing suicide risk. One study found that safety planning interventions were connected to positive suicide-related outcomes among adults experiencing suicide-related distress.[5]
Another study published in JAMA Psychiatry found that safety planning with follow-up had positive effects on reducing suicidal behavior and increasing engagement in outpatient treatment.[6]
AMFM is here to help you or your loved one take the next steps towards an improved mental well-being.
When you contact a treatment center for help, the staff will:[1][4]
All of the information gathered in the screening and assessment will support why they recommend a level of care. This may include outpatient therapy, residential treatment, inpatient care, or other support.
Based on the initial assessment, you may be recommended for residential treatment. This might be the case if daily life has become too difficult to manage, impacting your ability to:
In circumstances like this, weekly outpatient therapy likely isn’t enough.
During a residential treatment assessment, the admissions staff aim to learn more about whether live-in care could give you the routine and support you need. For instance, they may ask about whether substance use is involved, your support system, medical needs, and more. Then they can explain how residential treatment could support you.[1]
Residential treatment programs provide:[1]
Through the residential treatment assessment, staff can help connect how you’re feeling with what the program has to offer – and personalize treatment for you. This is an important stage in treatment planning.
Sometimes, a recommendation will be given that the safest level of care for you is the hospital. Inpatient mental health treatment makes sense when someone needs hospital-level care, close observation, or immediate psychiatric stabilization.
The difference between the two levels of care is the depth and intensity of symptoms and what is needed to safely address them.[4] Residential treatment provides you with structured therapy, psychiatric support, and stability of daily living in a safe environment. In contrast, inpatient care provides 24/7 medical and psychiatric monitoring for those experiencing a mental health crisis. However, many people transition to residential treatment after inpatient care once their symptoms have stabilized.
Both residential and inpatient treatment can help support you when you are experiencing serious mental health symptoms. Once you feel more stable and calm, your treatment planning can outline the steps required to transition to outpatient care as the next level of your recovery.
An effective treatment center will connect your treatment plan to your clinical assessment. In other words, the approach should be related to what you discuss during the assessment.
Your treatment plan should address your:
For example, based on what is discussed in the mental health assessment, it might be determined that you would benefit from talk therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), or another approach. The same goes for medication management recommendations, safety planning, group therapy sessions, family involvement, discharge planning, and long-term goals.
Plus, as your symptoms and needs change, so too should your treatment plan – it should evolve to meet your needs. If you experience new symptoms during treatment or your symptoms become manageable, this should be reflected in your plan.
You also have a voice in your own care. There are many benefits to involving people with mental health needs in their own care decisions. One study on supported decision making showed how letting people participate in treatment decisions led to better outcomes.[2]
Your personalized treatment plan should feel connected to your real life.
You have a right to understand your treatment options, but this doesn’t mean you have to memorize a list of mental health terms before a mental health assessment. You can ask questions, and the admissions team should be able to explain things in a way you understand.
Some examples of what you can ask include:
Asking questions can give you a better idea of how the program approaches care.[1][5] It also shows if staff are willing to listen to your concerns and can explain their recommendations in a way that makes sense to you.
A great admissions conversation should end with you feeling more informed than you did when you started. You may still feel nervous about seeking treatment – this is normal. But by the end of the phone call, you should have a better idea of what to expect.
At AMFM (A Mission For Michael) Mental Health Treatment, we strive to make your admissions process as easy and informative as possible, from first screening to intake admission, treatment planning, and onward. We personalize treatment to every person who comes through our doors and recognize the importance of treatment planning in this process.
We offer an intimate, focused mental health treatment experience for adults in home-like settings that are carefully maintained to be peaceful, comfortable spaces. AMFM Mental Health Treatment provides the full spectrum of care, including residential and outpatient treatment programs.
Our multidisciplinary treatment team is led by a board-certified psychiatrist present on-site to conduct a comprehensive evaluation and meet with you one-on-one every week. We believe in treatment persistence so you can achieve lasting, life-changing outcomes.
Our locations in California, Minnesota, and Virginia accept insurance and are in-network with most major providers. To check your insurance coverage for mental health care, simply complete our confidential online verification form or call us at 866-478-4383.
Reach out to us now to start the admissions process or learn more about how we can support your mental well-being. Our compassionate team is available 24/7 to answer your questions and provide guidance with no obligation.
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At AMFM, we strive to provide the most up-to-date and accurate medical information based on current best practices, evolving information, and our team’s approach to care. Our aim is that our readers can make informed decisions about their healthcare.
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