How to Write a Mental Health Assessment

Co-authored by Padam Bhatia, MD

Last Updated: August 13, 2024 Approved

A mental health assessment offers a detailed look at all of the factors which contribute to the patient's mental health history. The information entered on the assessment form should be detailed and expansive. The patient’s mental health history, medical history and social history contribute to the assessment.

Mental Health Assessment Template and Example

Sample Mental Health Assessment Template

Sample Mental Health Assessment Example

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Providing Background Information

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1
Gather background information from the patient. Background information will help you to establish context for your assessment. Put the patient at ease so that the interview will be fruitful and informative. Maintain eye contact and make small talk so that the patient will be comfortable in providing the information you require for the assessment. ^{[1]
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- Some of the information will be basic, such as the patient's age, gender, and ethnicity. Some information will more telling in terms of what it reveals about the patient.
2
Record the patient's medical history. Check all the boxes on the assessment that apply. Annotate wherever additional description is required.
- Include current medications (prescription and over-the-counter).^{[2]
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- Note the patient's substance abuse history.
- List all psychiatric drugs the client is currently taking.
- Keep in mind that sometimes physical conditions can mimic psychiatric illnesses. For instance, if a patient has uncontrolled asthma as well as anxiety, the asthma might actually be provoking the anxiety.^{[3]
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  Padam Bhatia, MD. Psychiatrist. Personal interview. 12 May 2020.}
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3
Record the patient's mental health history. Encourage the patient to provide a narrative using their own words. The story they provide enables them to describe associated social circumstances and emotional reactions that might not, otherwise, be revealed.^{[4]
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- Keep in mind that asking questions about a patient's mental health history may seem very personal to them. Try to give off a calm, open demeanor so they'll feel comfortable discussing this with you.^{[5]
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  Padam Bhatia, MD. Psychiatrist. Personal interview. 12 May 2020.}
- Indicate previous assessments,dates of diagnoses, referrals and responses to treatments.^{[6]
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- Include details that refer to the onset of the presenting problem, symptoms, previous treatments and providers.
- Reader Poll: We asked 349 wikiHow readers who've worked with mental health patients, and 45% of them agreed that the best way to make them feel at ease is by practicing active listening. [Take Poll]
For this portion of the assessment you should include ethnicity, immigration, language, religion, sexual orientation. Make note of the impact of cultural factors on the patient's behavior.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Writing the Assessment

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This is an expansive written interpretation of the information collected and how all of the elements recorded contribute to the patient's presenting problem. Recognize that every component of the patient's history is significant and will impact the patient's treatment, from the patient's chief complaint to the patient's family history.^{[7]
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2
Describe the patient's presenting mental health problem. Include current symptoms and behavior.
- Include a description of the onset of the presenting problem, its duration and intensity.^{[8]
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- Look for non-verbal clues from the client such as an inability to make eye contact and nervousness.
- Observe and note the patient's hygiene, cleanliness, choice of clothing, behavior, mood and physical abnormalities.^{[9]
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3
Assess the patient's psychosocial history. Include birth, childhood, family history and social relationships.
- Describe the patient's family history and current relationships.
- Indicate the patient's medical history and current status. Example "Jim is HIV positive and has been for three years, with a T-cell count within the normal range."
- Address a wide-ranging list contributing factors from the patient's support system to education and employment.
- Note the patient's strengths and weaknesses. Does the patient seem willing to work on the presenting problems? Will the patient work with a support system in place? Does the patient have medical issues or financial problems that might prevent them from completing treatment?^{[10]
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Assess risk factors for the patient. Provide detailed information that offers an assessment of the risk factors as determined by information gathered during the interview.
- Examples of risk factors: Suicidal, homicidal, homelessness, trauma, neglect, abuse, domestic violence.
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Complete the Mental Status Exam checking all boxes that apply. This will include thought content (obsessive, hallucinations, delusions), affect, mood and orientation. Your comments and descriptions will be required.
- Example: Behavior: "Appropriate," "Inappropriate," and follow with a description of the behavior.^{[11]
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In this section of the assessment, you will need to describe the patient's impairments. The categories include health,daily activities, social relationships and living arrangements. They'll require detailed descriptions if selected.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Diagnosing and Treating the Patient

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1
Employ a multidimensional approach in diagnosing the patient. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders is used to categorize psychiatric diagnoses. However, the format is changing. The new format begins with the "principal diagnosis" and this condition should be followed by the phrase "principal diagnosis" or "reason for visit."^{[12]
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- Axis I: Primary presenting problem (such as major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder).
- Axis II: Personality disorder (ex: borderline personality disorder) or intellectual disability
- Axis III: Medical problems (only MDs can diagnose these)
- Axis IV: Psychosocial and Environmental Problems
- Axis V: Global assessment of functioning (GAF) is a numerical rating on a scale of 0 - 100 of the client's current functioning with the life stressors he or she presents with. A GAF score of 91-100 means the patient is high functioning and easily managing the stressors in his or her life. A GAF score of 1-10 indicates that the patient is a danger to himself and/or others.
2
Recommend treatment for the patient. Your recommendations should be based on your narrative summary and assessment. Your treatment goals must be measurable with specific time frames for completion. ^{[13]
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- Part of an assessment involves trying to determine what the patient sees as the ideal outcome from treatment. For instance, some patients might want to pursue only therapy, others might want only medicine, and still others might prefer a combination of the two. You have to try the get the patient to where they want to be in a way that's still clinically appropriate.^{[14]
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  Padam Bhatia, MD. Psychiatrist. Personal interview. 12 May 2020.}
- Compile a list of treatment goals. Examples:reducing risk factors, decreasing functional impairment.^{[15]
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- Indicate planned preventions with patient participation. Examples would be anger management, parent training, problem solving. ^{[16]
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Finish by documenting the patient's understanding of the treatment. Your assessment should conclude with a statement about the patient's understanding of the course of treatment and its goals. This portion of the assessment shows that the patient is aware of the decided course of treatment and is willing to work with it.^{[17]
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- Patients report better outcomes to their treatment when they're in agreement with their practitioners about the course of treatment.^{[18]
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- Ensure effective interventions by implementing a negotiations process between patient and mental health care provider.^{[19]
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Question

What types of content go into a mental health assessment for a patient?

Padam Bhatia, MD
Board Certified Psychiatrist
Dr. Padam Bhatia is a board certified Psychiatrist who runs Elevate Psychiatry, based in Miami, Florida. He specializes in treating patients with a combination of traditional medicine and evidence-based holistic therapies. He also specializes in electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), compassionate use, and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). Dr. Bhatia is a diplomat of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and a Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association (FAPA). He received an MD from Sidney Kimmel Medical College and has served as the chief resident in adult psychiatry at Zucker Hillside Hospital in New York.

Padam Bhatia, MD

Board Certified Psychiatrist

Expert Answer

In a mental health assessment, you're trying to answer a question. The patient comes to you in distress, and you want to find out how best to alleviate that. Of course, you want to give an accurate diagnosis, but you also want to align with the patient and figure out what they might consider the best treatment.

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Ask open-ended questions about the patient's presenting problem and history. Information that you're noting comes from all portions of the patient's life. Let them tell their story.^{[20]
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Consider alternate sources of information if a patient isn't able to communicate effectively. Other sources include family members, caseworkers, or the police. (Patient confidentiality is not violated if the information received is not solicited by the physician.)^{[22]
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Recommend that the patient keep a journal. This can be helpful in revealing specific mental health symptoms.

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