The assessment process
A mental health assessment can be quite confronting for many people, although it is a very important aspect of the treatment process.
We aim to ensure a more complete approach to assessment that takes into account the range of issues that people may be experiencing. A psychiatric assessment aims to evaluate the influences on mental health, whilst the 'bio-psycho-social' approach will further extend the medical approach to take other factors into consideration.
A number of practitioners may be involved with the assessment process. The General Practitioner may have already undergone a thorough mental health assessment and our aim at Sentiens is to further investigate the issues involved with mental health or psychiatric problems. It is possible that the assesment process continues with a psychologist, psychiatrist and mental health nurse.
The assessment includes:
- an accurate description of symptoms;
- general health and medical check;
- identification of physical and psychological difficulties,
- drug and alcohol use;
- medication history;
- family and relationship issues; and
- thinking and behaviour in context.
Sentiens believes that by focusing on factors within the individual’s wider context, one is better able to assess the symptoms and behaviour that are problematic for the individual and his/her support system, thus allowing for the development of an effective, individualised, treatment plan.
The Sentiens assessment approach includes a self-completed web-based program, PsychAssess. Feedback from a report generated at the completion of PsychAssess serves to help further guide the clinicians assessment process (e.g. in combination with face-to-face assessment with the client), thereby assisting in patient diagnosis and treatment triage by a multi-disciplinary clinical team.
