What Questions Do I Ask?
In the first meetings with a mental health professional you will probably have a lot of questions. Some questions that you might want to ask are:
- What is your experience in working with children with issues like my child?
- What kind of training did you get to work with children with mental health issues/concerns?
- What is your approach or philosophy?
- Are you trained to use any evidence-based practices or approaches for the difficulties of my child? If not, are you aware of effective treatments for my child’s issues?
- How involved will I be in treatment and how will you keep me informed of my child’s progress?
- Will I be involved in helping to set goals for treatment?
- How will my child’s progress towards these goals be measured?
- How will I know if my child is getting better?
- How long does treatment typically take and how will I know when my child has finished treatment?
- What should I do if I have a crisis between treatment sessions or I need immediate help?
- What should I be doing at home to help support my child’s treatment?
- Is there anything out of the ordinary that I should expect because my child is in treatment?
- Are there any materials I can read to learn more about my child’s issues and concerns?
- What is your policy for cancellations and rescheduling if my child or I am unable to make the appointment?
- How do I know if my child needs medications? If so, can you or someone at your agency give me the medication?
- Will my child get a formal “diagnosis” and will I have knowledge of that diagnosis?
- What information is kept in my child’s records and can others see those records?
- Should I talk to my child about what happens during treatment?
- Is there anything else that I can do to support my child during this time?