Psychiatric Evaluations

What is a Psychiatric Evaluation?

A psychiatric evaluation is, in its simplest terms, an evaluation designed to diagnose emotional, behavioral, or developmental conditions or disorders. It is completed by a psychiatrist or psychiatric nurse practitioner. It may be used to diagnose problems with memory, thought processes, mood and behaviors. It is beneficial for individuals who are seeking diagnostic clarification.

What happens during a Psychiatric Evaluation?

The initial evaluation will explore many aspects including developmental history, medical history, family history, social and environmental influences, academic/work concerns, and emotional and cognitive (thinking) strengths and weaknesses, observations of an individual's behaviors/affect/mood/cognition ect. Each psychiatrist has his or her own system for the initial evaluation.

The following are topics that will likely be covered in a psychiatric evaluation prior to making a clinical formulation/ diagnosis and recommendations:

• Individual History • History of the Problem • Family History • Substance Use • Developmental History • Medical History • Social History • Mental Status Examination

Looking for professional mental health services in Pennsylvania? We specialize in comprehensive psychiatric evaluations for adults, including virtual psychiatric evaluations and concierge psychiatric evaluations. Our team is dedicated to providing integrative psychiatric assessments and full psychological evaluations, incorporating advanced techniques such as psychological testing and assessment. Contact us today if you are looking for psychiatric evaluations in Pennsylvania and begin your journey toward improved mental well-being.

Please Note: We do not offer emergency psychiatric evaluations, which tend to include higher risk symptoms including current suicidal/ homicidal ideation, plan and intent or significant self harm. In addition, if an individual has significant substance abuse issues or severe psychotic symptoms we also may refer them to an emergency evaluation at a local ER or Crisis Center for a Level of Care Assessment. These individuals are often referred to inpatient psychiatric hospitalization, partial hospitalizations or intensive outpatient centers. These levels of care typically have more frequent assessments of an individual’s safety and emotional stability.

When is a Psychiatric Evaluation beneficial?

Some diagnoses we treat here at our practice include and are not limited to Depression, Anxiety, Bipolar disorder, and ADHD. Our patients seek out our help when they are feeling sad, have low energy and motivation, have lost interest in preferred activities, have fluctuating moods, have issues with focus or attention, as well as struggle with using drugs or alcohol. Caregivers reach out at times when their child is having school issues or disruptive behaviors.