When assessing a new client, it is crucial to provide the client with a form that is easy to understand and complete. These forms are often the first impression a client has of an agency; a hard to understand form may intimidate a client or discourage them before the treatment has begun. For this critique, a form was selected from an independent therapist’s website. The form is simply titled “Mental health intake form” and consists of seven (7) pages of questions regarding the client’s mental and physical health as well as questions regarding past traumas and experiences. Does it ask all of the necessary questions to determine what the client’s presenting problem is? This intake form is thorough and asks a number of questions in detail …show more content…
However, there are particular questions that the client may want to add detailed answers to, yet the space provided does not allow this. Though, there is a large space at the end of the intake form that allows the client to provide any additional details or comments that they would like, and there is copious space provided that allows the client to do this. Should the intake be re-formatted so it is easier to read? Why? This student believes that this intake form is easy to read and understand, but improvements can be made. For example, this form lists out multiple psychotropic medications and asks the client if they have been on any in the past. Instead of listing every psychotropic medication, the form could simply ask the client if they have every taken psychotropic medication in the past, and if so, ask them to list the medication, dose, and response to the medications. This would shorten the form a great deal, and make it more “use friendly”. What would you include? What would you remove? …show more content…
The form starts with the client’s presenting problems and reasons for seeking treatment, and the directly into a suicide assessment. Thereafter, the form is ordered by personal information (medical and psychiatric history, family psychiatric history, and substance abuse, ) and later into family/childhood background and trauma, then into the client’s occupational, legal, and spiritual information. The end of the intake form gives the client a free space to provide additional details or comments about themselves and their situation, which this student believes, allows the social worker to become acquainted with the client before starting
The main argument in this article is that there needs to be more ways to help people that are suicidal. The main point of this article is that they want to people to be more aware of how to help someone, and it is also full of information. The topics that are covered in the article are the issues at hand, the background with suicide in teens, and the next step that society needs to take. This article is about helping people that are suicidal and how to help them and let us know the next step that we need to take.
whether or not the client is experiencing more or less impairment compared to peers, or whether
Case conceptualization explains the nature of a client’s problem and how they develop such problem ( Hersen, & Porzelius, p.3, 2002) In counseling, assessment is viewed as a systematic gathering of information to address a client’s presenting concerns effectively. The assessment practice provides diagnostic formulation and counseling plans, and aids to identify assets that could help the client cope better with concern that they are current. Assessment is present as a guide for treatment and support in the “evaluation process. Although many methods can be employed to promote a thorough assessment, no one method should be used by itself” (Erford, 2010, p.269-270). Eventually, it is the counselor's job to gain adequate information concerning the client and the client's presenting concerns to establish an effective treatment strategy. Using a combination of assessment techniques increases the likelihood of positive interventions and promotes successful treatment (Erford, 2010, p.271). A case conceptualization reflects how the professional counselor understands the nature of the presenting problems and includes a diagnostic formulation. Case conceptualization organizes assessment data into meaningful outline, applying research, and theory to make sense of client’s current problem.
While the Maple Counseling Center intake form appears quite lengthy, the majority of the questions can be answered by placing a check mark in the appropriate box. This enables the client to reflect on his/her behavior without requiring a detailed response for each question. From there, the practitioner will be able to ask appropriate questions and follow up on areas of concern during the intake meeting. The intake form provides the professional with enough information in order to ask appropriate questions to get to the heart of the client’s problem; furthermore, it enables the professional to identify if the client has any suicidal or self-harm thoughts that need to be addressed immediately.
Formulation of Problem/Needs: The client 's presenting problems are caused by her mother’s emotional verbal abuse. In spite of all, her emotional problems Ana maintains a positive outlook towards her future. Ana demonstrates self-determination as she clearly expresses her current issues. She struggles with overeating because she feels unloved and worthless. Ana is seeking services to overcome the resentment she feels towards her mother. She is requesting help to manage her coping skills and reduce her feelings of depression. According to Ana these feelings started at a young age. Ana’s current challenges are learning to cope with her mother’s verbal abuse. Anna will arrange monthly meetings with her social worker to talk about what methods she’s used to coping with her depression. Ana agrees that she needs to find positive away to communicate with her mother. Ana also stays that she wants to learn to be selfish and break free from the traditional stereotypical life of East LA. Ana would like to begin addressing the following
Does it ask all of the necessary questions to determine what the client’s presenting problem is?
After reading through the entire intake form for the Northside Mental Health Center, I would say that it does ask most of the necessary questions to determine the reason for the client’s visit. There are questions related to substance abuse, eating disorders, and even gender identity and sexual functioning. In saying that I think the questionnaire asks most of the necessary questions, I implied that it didn’t ask all of them. One example of a missed question relates to prior diagnoses. There is a question asking the client to state where they have been treated in the past, why they were there, and to describe whether it was inpatient or outpatient, but after double-checking the questionnaire, there is not a question asking what diagnoses the individual already has (Northside Mental Health Center intake questionnaire, p. 2). Another example of a missing question relates to current prescriptions. One question on the form asks about over the counter medications that are being taken, but there is not a single question asking about prescription drugs that are being taken (Northside Mental Health Center intake questionnaire,
I think the article does reinsure that there is ways to help the client based on what I think, however, I must always remember that there is a bigger picture than what I think, this being the client.
NASMHPD. (2014, Accessed April 27). Retrieved from NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STATE MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM DIRECTORS: http://www.nasmhpd.org/About/AOMultiStateDisaster.aspx
The social worker will conduct a swift but thorough psychosocial issue to gather the patient’s needs and concerns, environmental stressors, medical needs and medications, use of drugs and/or alcohol, coping mechanisms. It can also be called the triage assessment, assessing the patient’s emotional, behavioral, and cognitive aspects of a crisis (Roberts & Ottens, 2005, p. 334). In assessing lethality, the social worker must discuss with the patient and discover if the patient has ever had any suicidal attempts or thoughts. It is also important to assess the patient’s family members for suicidal ideations as
My experience in mental health clinical was very different from any other clinical I had before. In a mental health clinical setting, I am not only treating client’s mental illnesses, I am also treating their medical problems such as COPD, diabetes, chronic renal failure, etc. Therefore, it is important to prepare for the unexpected events. In this mental health clinical, I learned that the importance of checking on my clients and making sure that they are doing fine by performing a quick head-to toes assessment at the beginning of my shift. I had also learned that client’s mental health illness had a huge impact on their current medical illness.
Simpson, C. (2007) ‘Mental Health part3: Assessment and Treatment of Depression’ British Journal of Healthcare assistants. pp 167-171.
Counselors are more prone to be confronted with clients who are suicidal or dealing with mental health issues that are causing them to be a danger to themselves and others. Therefore, it is essential for counselors to have the knowledge and skills in order to be prepared when confronted with a crisis situation. In addition, counselors must be able to identify risk factors for their clients to avoid any wrongdoings that can cause detrimental consequences. Because it is the counselor's ethical obligation to protect clients from unnecessary risk of harm. Essentially, without the adequate training in suicide assessment and intervention, counselors can engage in practices that are not in alignment with the counseling ethical standard “do no harm”.
According Hendin, H., Maltsberger, JT, Lipschitz, A., Ann, PH, & Kyle, J. (2001) in a studio made "Recognizing and responding to a suicide crisis," they used data from The Suicide Data Bank of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, evaluating 26 patients who committed suicide (21 men and 5 women). as they handled therapists suicide crisis and Recognize, Respond and examine the crises in Those patients. The method was to analyze the questionnaire narrative description of each case I prepared by therapists. For each case, DSM-IV criteria were used to make a diagnosis of the patient at the time of the suicide. Shedding the results that 12 of the patients, therapists identified crisis predicted the act of suicide and 5 therapist’s sugirienron the client who was hospitalized, being rejected by the client and the suicide Followed soon. Since this factor but one of the problems expressed by the therapist, because the decision is taken by the customer. Other data indicate failure of the therapist to the underlying suicidal intent and not adequately recognize the emotional crises of the client
There are many potential problems that could be presented on the intake form. The intake form is an important document for the client to complete and for the social worker to review. In the appendix, there is an example of a mental health multidimensional intake form. The intake form will provide valuable information if completed and completed with honesty. The included intake form has great potential on providing quality information and the presenting problem that the client has. The intake form is five pages along and cover current and historical information. It also includes the mental health history and any medical history or current medical concerns. The intake form also covers the domain of the client’s social dimension. Occupational questions are also included on the intake form. Family