Assessment is both an art and science in clinical work. Without a proper assessment, the rest of the clinical process suffers due to a lack of understanding of the client’s needs. And with today’s demands for shorter times to conduct an evaluation, the clinician has more challenges to create an assessment. Here are 7 guiding principles that provide a foundation for the assessment process.
1. Joining is Critical to the Assessment. The clinician needs to engage the client in a manner that helps them feel comfortable, at ease, not being judged. Rapport, relationships, or connection with a client mean more than the words received in an evaluation. Being with the client in the process, not against them (no matter what their history tells you) gives both of you a chance to move forward.
2. Be Curious. A client presents you with problems that they don’t have the perspective to see themselves. Being nosy, interested in their life and history shows you care about them and that opening up to new possibilities can lead to change.
3. Think Assessment All the Time. Most clinicians see assessment only as the beginning phase of treatment. Yet at each session, more opportunities exist to learn more about the client. In the first few sessions, they may not want to divulge everything; asking them more evaluation questions after a few weeks or a month may lead to more information to use in treatment.
4. Assessment = Intervention. When a clinician talks about patterns or problems in the session, the client may see the world differently. Talking about how problems have been handled in the past or suggesting future strategies helps the clinician see how the client responds to these ideas. Their acceptance or rejection of these approaches provides knowledge to the assessment process.
5. Assess for Strengths. Assessments tend to be about what’s wrong with a client. For example, a client may leave their seat 50% of their class, which is a problem. But the other 50% don’t, which means they engage in some behavior or like a subject that keeps their attention. These strengths can be built on for treatment goals.
6. Assessment Includes the Therapist. When meeting with a client, the clinician has to check themselves, too. Does the client bring up transference issues, feelings, and other “vibes?” Does the clinician feel restless or irritable in the client’s presence, and do others feel the same way?
7. Assess Using Multiple Perspectives. Not only should you be using your information, but that from family, other professionals such as teachers, or social workers. Observation, questionnaires, and other evaluation tools give you a total picture of the problem.
The assessment is to be a comprehensive process, but only a process that continues throughout the treatment of the client.
Praxes offers a course in the Assessment of Children and Adolescents. For more information about our training courses, please contact us.
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PRAXES is a nationwide behavioral health software, consulting, and training company. No one in the behavioral health industry has a better reputation, and if you give us the chance, we’ll show you why! At PRAXES, our services improve the efficiency and structure of behavioral health agencies serving children and families nationwide. PRAXES brings over 45 years of administrative and clinical expertise. With more than 100 client companies nationwide, we offer the expertise to advance the quality of behavioral health services. We accomplish these goals through our new clinical decision software, our training of best practices, and helping companies meet regulatory standards. At PRAXES, we believe in being creative and fostering new ways to serve children and their families. Our vision is to empower the families our agencies serve with skills that not only improve their functioning, but help them to thrive in their everyday lives. When you give us the chance, you’ll be connected directly to our friendly staff, so you can expect immediate attention to your inquiry. So, don’t wait, call now!
Dan Thorne has unique perspectives on the field of mental health. As a clinician, he has had over 40 years of experience working with clients in the Southern California area. After obtaining his Bachelor’s degree from the University of California at Irvine, he worked with children in the Orange County Juvenile Hall. Here he honed his earliest techniques on at-risk children. After that, he obtained his Master’s degree in Counseling from California State University, Fullerton.
In the 1990’s, Dan turned his attention to the clinical and administrative side of behavioral health organizations. For three years, he was the Assistant Administrator of Starting Point, a chemical dependency facility in Costa Mesa, CA. In 2001, he took an opportunity to be the Director of Harbor View Community Services Center in Long Beach. When he arrived, the Center had only 80 clients and 13 staff. When he left, there were over 400 clients and 75 staff. Dan created several programs through their contract with the Los Angeles County Departments of Mental Health and Child and Family Services. Under his guidance, Harbor View became one of the leading providers of children’s services in Los Angeles County.
While improving the results of the client’s parents at the Center, Dan reflected on his experiences as a parent. His children themselves had special needs such as mental and intellectual challenges, and Dan knew the toll it takes on the parent. In order to help the child, the parent has to be healthy. From this concept, he created his parenting program. After years of refining it, teaching it to his staff at the Center, and then taking the results and comments from these efforts, he became the developer of the current PRAXES program. It is a culmination of Dan’s personal trials and tribulations as a parent along with empirical results and research of over 40 parenting programs.
Our vision at PRAXES is to advance the strength of parents and caregivers of children with special needs (mental health, intellectual, or physical) through education, support, and empowerment. Thus, they can live healthy and functional lives while caring for the child.
Apogee is a clinical decision software designed to help behavioral health practitioners with their treatment and patient engagement. It provides evidence-based and research-based components. Not only do they consist of elements from such practices as Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Seeking Safety, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Functional Behavior Analysis, but also the Intensive Models for Parents, Youth, and Children.
PRAXES has over 30 years of accreditation experience. We know what it takes to get your organization accredited. Whether it’s Joint Commission, CARF, or COA, our team can provide an evaluation of your current status and review the standards which need improvements. We will assist you with the policies, documentation, and training required to be accredited.
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