Mental Health Screenings
Services

Mental Health Screenings in New jersey

Our mental health screenings service is intended for students mandated to participate in a “risk assessment” by their school districts due to concerns regarding their mental health and related safety.  The benefit of this service is that it provides you (the parent or guardian) with an alternative to taking your child to the hospital ER for the mandated screening, which can take several hours and cause significant emotional distress for you and your child. Your child’s mental health screening will be scheduled within 2-24 hours, depending on your initial contact with Strength for Change. Your child’s mental health screening will take place in-person at either our Wayne or Mt. Arlington office locations.

What To Expect

Overview

Your child’s mental health screening will be scheduled within 2-24 hours, depending on your initial contact with Strength for Change. Your child will participate in a 1-1.5 hour clinical interview conducted by a Licensed Clinical Social Worker or Licensed Professional Counselor. Information received from your child will be cross-referenced with the information provided by you (the parent or guardian), the referring school, and other professionals who may be involved in your child’s care. After your child’s mental health screening, you will be informed of the outcome regarding your child’s risk for suicide or violent behavior and related treatment needs.

Screening Outcomes

Based on your child’s level of emotional distress, history of mental health symptoms, scores on diagnostic questionnaires, and the presence of risk factors for suicide or violent behavior,  your child’s screening will result in one of the following outcomes:

  • Cleared to Return to School With No Further Actions Necessary.
  • Cleared to Return to School With Recommendations: Your child may need to participate in a complete psychiatric evaluation, individual outpatient therapy, an intensive outpatient program, or a partial hospitalization program.
  • Not Cleared to Return to School:  Your child needs an immediate psychiatric evaluation and must be taken to the local hospital emergency room.


An immediate psychiatric evaluation at a local hospital emergency room is recommended when a child is at high risk for suicidal or violent behavior. In such cases, a client is referred to the local hospital emergency room for a more comprehensive psychiatric evaluation conducted by a team of professionals, including doctors, nurses, and mental health clinicians. Upon completion of the hospital psychiatric evaluation, the client may be admitted into the hospital.

Confidentiality

Your privacy and confidentiality are always our top priorities.  Screening results and treatment recommendations are only disclosed to individuals you have given us written permission to communicate with. The only exception to this rule of confidentiality is in cases of child abuse and the risk of suicidal or homicidal behavior.

Fee, Billing, & Insurance

Please get in touch with our office at (973) 668-9577 for a list of fees.

School districts or employers sometimes contract with Strength for Change and pay the cost of a mandated mental health screening.

Clients seeking our mental health screening service are responsible for payment at the time of service. Those with out-of-network insurance coverage are eligible for reimbursement based on their plan.  Clients are encouraged to speak to their insurance provider to determine their policy’s coverage, the protocol for submitting claims, and the expected reimbursement rate.

Mental Health Screenings Include: a 1-1.5-hour clinical interview, administration of several symptom questionnaires, and contact with all necessary third parties (school and other treatment providers, etc.), including a letter stating the evaluation findings and treatment recommendations.

Feel free to call us today if your child needs a mental health screening in Mountain Lakes and Wayne, NJ, or the surrounding areas.

Contact Us

You can use the form on this page to send us a message. Please also feel free to call or email us anytime.

    We are an out-of-network provider.

    Mental Health Screening

    To schedule an immediate Mental Health Screening for your child, text us at (973) 668-9577 with the message “MHS” and provide us with your name, your child’s name, and your child’s school name. One of our associates will get back to you within 90 mins and will schedule your child’s screening appointment within the same day. Once you have texted us, fill in the information below and press the submit button at the bottom of the page. While not required, it would be helpful to receive your information prior to contacting you in response to your initial text.

    The cost of our Mental Health Screening is $395. This includes a 60-90 minute clinical interview, the administration of multiple symptom/risk inventories, documentation of findings and related recommendations, and all necessary communication with your child’s school in fulfilling the mandated mental health screening. If you have out-of-network insurance benefits, your insurance provider may reimburse you 50-90% of your out-of-pocket costs. Since policies and reimbursement rates vary greatly, you are encouraged to speak with your insurance provider to determine the nature of your coverage and possible reimbursement rate.

    For more information regarding fees and insurance, please click our FAQs tab.

    Fill out the form below, and we will be in touch shortly.

      I understand that Strength for Change is an out-of-network treatment provider and that I am responsible for the full cost of services rendered. Whether I receive any reimbursement from my insurance provider will be determined by the nature of my insurance policy and related terms and conditions.

      YesNo

      Child:

      Mother:

      Father:

      Legal Guardian(s):

      Not Applicable - Mother and/or father are the legal guardianApplicable - The legal guardian's information is as follows

      School:

      Prior to my child's scheduled appointment, I give Strength for Change permission to communicate with my child's school for the purpose of obtaining information relevant to his/her mental health screening.

      YesNo

      School Contact Person: