Psychiatric conditions can be difficult to treat, especially if you’re not trained. But if you have a patient presenting with symptoms of a mental disorder, you can still help them by providing a referral for a psychiatric assessment.
If you’re a social worker, a primary care provider, or any other kind of professional that offers some form of care to others, you’ve definitely encountered all kinds of people in your line of work, each with their own unique care needs. But what do you do when someone has symptoms of a condition that you can’t treat - like a severe mental disorder? The answer is actually quite simple: refer them for a psychiatric evaluation. But before you do that, make sure you know about what the process involves, along with any legal and ethical considerations you should keep in mind.
You’re probably aware that mental health issues are more common than they’re made out to be, but did you know that it’s also common for people to not get help for them? According to Mental Health America, 54.7% of American adults with a mental illness, an equivalent of 28 million people, don’t receive the treatment they need. As a result, many of these individuals find their mental health conditions worsening over time, leading to issues such as lower work productivity, physical health conditions, and, in extreme cases, suicide - one of the leading causes of death in the United States.
But here’s the thing. While many barriers to treatment still exist, a significant number of individuals do not consider seeking care due to a lack of knowledge on the mental health resources available.
But as a healthcare professional, you’ll have more access to that kind of information, which means you can be the key to making sure your client gets potentially life-changing treatment. In fact, it’s your duty to refer patients with symptoms that fall outside your scope of care. These symptoms may include prolonged depressive moods or anxiety, extreme mood swings, hallucinations, risky behaviors, or impaired social function; referrals should also be considered in cases where patients are already receiving talk therapy but are no longer receptive to treatment.
Once you’ve taken note of your client’s symptoms, you must receive informed consent; involuntary referrals can only be provided if the patient is deemed a danger to themselves or other people. You can then initiate the process online or in person at a mental health facility by providing the appropriate details, after which you’ll be able to coordinate treatment plans with the chosen facility’s psychiatric team.
In spite of your best efforts, your client may still be unable or unwilling to receive treatment due to waitlists, financial limitations, geographic barriers, or stigma. Luckily, you can make things easier for them by working with mental health treatment centers like Mission Connection, which improve accessibility through telehealth, offer flexible payment options, and provide compassionate care.
Psychiatric evaluations shouldn’t be a painful process, and you can make it that much easier by following these steps. By working together with your client and the right psychiatric team, you can make a difference.
