Mental Health Screenings for Children in Wayne, New Jersey

At Strength for Change in Wayne, New Jersey, we offer vital Mental Health Screenings tailored to support school-age children who may be experiencing acute mental health crises or require mandated risk assessments from their schools. Our objective is to provide a valuable alternative to lengthy and emotionally distressing emergency room visits, ensuring timely assistance for your child’s well-being.

Overview

Recognizing the urgency of the situation, we prioritize scheduling a mental health screening for your child within 24 hours of your initial contact with us. During this time, your child will engage in a 1-1.5-hour clinical interview conducted by a Licensed Clinical Social Worker or Licensed Professional Counselor. This comprehensive assessment allows us to gain valuable insights into your child’s mental state. The information collected from your child will be cross-referenced with details provided by you, the parent or guardian, as well as insights from the referring school and other involved professionals. This collaborative approach ensures a thorough evaluation of your child’s mental health.

Screening Outcomes

Depending on your child’s emotional distress level, history of mental health symptoms, diagnostic questionnaire scores, and the presence of risk factors, the screening may yield 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 require a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation, individual outpatient therapy, participation in an intensive outpatient program, or enrollment in a partial hospitalization program.
Not Cleared to Return to School: In cases involving a high risk of suicidal or violent behavior, we recommend an immediate psychiatric evaluation at a local hospital emergency room.

In situations where a child is at high risk for suicidal or violent behavior, our utmost priority is their safety. In such cases, our clients are promptly referred to the local hospital emergency room, where a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation is conducted by a team of medical professionals, including doctors, nurses, and mental health clinicians. Following this evaluation, the client may be admitted to the hospital if deemed necessary.

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.

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

Mental Health Screenings for Children in Wayne, New Jersey

What to Expect During Child Mental Health Screenings