In my previous post I informed everyone that I would be trying to complete the whole diagnostic assessment plus printing and scheduling to the referred counselor in one hour. I am here to say that, so far, it has been a success. I have had a couple go over one hour but not too many [...]

My agency uses the SOQIC forms for assessment, treatment planning, progress notes, and transfer/discharge. These were developed on the state level of our department of mental health and, for the most part, are good forms to use. I use all these forms but as the primary assessor of my agency I use the diagnostic assessment [...]

In a previous post, I discussed recognizing the concept that just because a person is displaying craziness does not mean that we should label the person crazy. Since that posting, I have assessed multiple child clients who came into my office with many labels. These labels consist of “I’m stupid”, “I’m no good”, “I’m crazy”, [...]

Lately, I have been serving more alcohol and other drug (AoD) client’s during assessment and individual counseling. I am not as comfortable with the AoD clientele that I am with MH clientele. My graduate program was focused predominantly on clinical MH issues listed in the DSM-IV-TR and less focused on AoD issues. It was a [...]

Ever think you are riding on a sinking ship? Everything seems to be going well then all of a sudden people are missing or you witness friends jumping overboard. You hear rumors, but of course they are just rumors…right? How is someone supposed to know if it is safe to stay on the sinking ship? [...]

I usually try to find resources that I can learn from and hopefully pass out to my clients. Anytime I find free resources, especially mental health and substance abuse, I feel like a kid in a candy store. I want my colleagues to share in my little pot of gold. The site I have been [...]

Most of my clients do not know of a time without a cell phone in one hand and an iPod in the other. They tell me all the time that they “NEED” their lifeline and without it they will just give up the ghost. Of course we all know that is completely false but how [...]

Mental Health agencies all over the nation are hearing financial distress in fiscal year 2012. What are we as mental health professionals to do when we do not get support from our leaders when we need it the most? When people are in hard times financially, emotionally, medically, spiritually, etc… why is it that funding [...]