Mental Health Screening and Assessment

Here at the PTI, we believe that one of the most important aspects of effectively treating mental illness is a basic understanding of the people you are working with and the barriers that each person faces in order to receive care.  In order to achieve this goal we have incorporated a variety of services under one roof.  One of the many services we offer include screening and assessment for mental illness.

Although that may sound formal and perhaps even daunting to be assessed for “mental problems,” we would all be well served to remember that everyone experiences depression, anxiety, stress, and fear.  It’s not that people with mental illness are “less than” or somehow incapable of dealing with their problems.  Many times, mental illness has more to do with things such as environmental stressors, psychological factors, and biological agents including genetics, infections, and traumatic brain injury.

What Is Mental Health Screening?

Any type of treatment for mental illness begins with a “sit-down,” screening and assessment with a doctor.  During the screening, a doctor uses various tools to evaluate not only your emotional health and feelings, but also cognitive health which includes reasoning, your ability to express yourself, and memory.  Other parts of assessment include exploring your relationships and social skills.  One of the most important indicators to take note of prior to coming to a screening is recording your sleep patterns and sleep quality.  It’s well known that emotional and mental stability is closely linked with the quality of one’s sleep.  A well-conducted screening can also differentiate between mental illness and physical health problems.

Screening is also the first step towards both education and treatment.  We believe that it’s important to educate all of our patients so that you can be well informed not just about different choices for drugs or doctors, but so that you can become more aware of how mental illness is affecting you, the best treatment options, and how you can overcome it as an obstacle rather than be defeated by a barrier.

Remember, the earlier the treatment begins, the more likely it is that recovery will be quick and easy, without compounding into bigger problems.  If you are interested in undergoing a mental health screening, please give us a call to find out more information on how to prepare and discuss any concerns you may have.  At PTI we strive to go the extra mile.  Why make this the core of our business and mission?  The reason is simple; it’s because every patient matters and everyone deserves the best care possible.