Where do I start? A good starting point for obtaining counseling services is to consult with your primary care physician. Have the doctor do a physical examination to determine if any medical illnesses may be contributing to your emotional/behavioral difficulties. If your symptoms are not related to a medical condition, psychiatric treatment may be recommended. […]

Mental health services can be expensive. While insurance can help offset the cost, it can also be a source of frustration and confusion. To determine which mental health services are available to you under your insurance coverage and to help prevent complications, delays and/or unexpected costs, it is crucial that you read your insurance policy […]

Children are brought in for treatment for many reasons.  The most common of which are the following: School difficulties including academic underachievement and/or disciplinary problems Emotional difficulties including depression, anxiety and anger Behavioral difficulties including disobeying rules, illegal behavior, substance involvement and/or aggression or violence towards others  Other difficulties – social difficulties, low self-esteem, poor […]

The information in this section is taken from non-copyrighted material on the Mental Health Institute Web Page. While medication rarely should be the only strategy used, in some cases it may be a key component to effective treatment. If your child’s treatment provider believes that your child could benefit from medication, he/she will refer you […]

Regardless of the treatment provider you choose or the level of care to be provided, effective treatment should begin with a comprehensive initial assessment/evaluation of your child’s difficulties and related treatment needs. The length of time it takes for an initial assessment varies from 2-5 hours (conducted over 1-5 sessions), depending on the treatment provider’s […]

A Quick Review Of Inpatient Treatment Options Your child stays overnight in the hospital or treatment facility. Emergency Hospitalization: Provided by a public or private hospital. Approximate length of stay may be from 2-10 days. Usually occurs following a psychiatric or substance abuse emergency during which an individual is at risk for harming oneself or […]

If your child is experiencing a psychiatric emergency (danger to self and/or others, experiencing delusions, hallucinations, disorganized thoughts and/or exhibiting unusual behaviors) take your child to your local hospital emergency room immediately. If your child is already under the care of a treatment provider, you may want to call the treatment provider first and ask […]

If your child is experiencing a psychiatric emergency and refuses to go for help, see section 7 of this handbook.  If your child is experiencing mild-moderate emotional difficulties (sadness, anxiety, shyness, social or academic difficulties) but can still meet his/her responsibilities, and refuses to attend treatment, do not try to force him/her to attend. Your […]

If Your Child Is Asking For Help — Motivated To Attend: Give your child as much information as possible regarding the treatment providers that are available. Encourage him/her to be part of the selection process. If your child is mature, socially skilled and assertive enough, have him/her participate in the initial telephone consultation described in […]

A good starting point for obtaining counseling services for your child is to consult with your child’s pediatrician/primary care physician. Have the doctor do a physical examination to determine if a medical condition is causing or contributing to your child’s emotional/behavioral difficulties. Make sure that the physical exam is thorough and includes blood work and, […]