- Assessments
- Collateral Therapy Services
- Family Team Meeting Facilitation (FTMs)
- Psychiatric Referral
- Mental Health Consultation
- Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation
- Community and Parent Trainings
- Brighter Futures Counseling, PLLC offers many different types of assessments. Often individuals and families are referred for particular assessments. We will assist you with these needs. We offer the following types of assessments:
- Mental Health Assessment–also known as a Psychosocial Assessment or an Intake Assessment:
- A mental Health Assessment assesses your overall mental health. The therapist will ask several questions over the course of approximately an hour. The questions help the therapist gain insight into your concerns/issues/needs as well as where the concerns may have arisen and what is contributing to them. The therapist will take a thorough social, emotional, and physical history to help them better understand your concerns and allow them to make recommendations to help you overcome your current concerns. From this information, the therapist will often diagnose the issue and offer a treatment plan.
- Trauma Assessment:
- Trauma Assessments are available to be conducted on client’s of all ages that have been involved in a potential traumatic event (i.e. physical or sexual abuse, neglect, domestic violence, natural disasters and other traumatic events and accidents). During the trauma assessment the therapist will evaluate the individual to determine how the traumatic event is effecting the individual’s daily functioning and determine treatment recommendations. Multiple Objective Screening and Assessment tools may accompany this assessment.
- Children/Adolescent Risk Assessments:
- A Risk Assessment is often provided immediately after a person has made a comment about harming themselves or others. Schools, doctors, families, and other professionals can call Brighter Futures Counseling when they have concerns about a students personal safety. The therapist will then come to the school, office, or other site to talk with the child/adolescent to determine the level of severity. The therapist will then assist the professionals involved and/or family with getting the child/adolescent to the appropriate level of care–this could be simply starting outpatient therapy or could be to help the child/adolescent get admitted to a hospital to deal with the immediate crisis. This service is offered at NO COST to the community.
- Risk Assessments for Children/Adolescents can be provided at Schools, DCBS Offices, at the Courthouse, Physician’s Office, or other needed locations…
- This service is also available for adults and postpartum Mothers as Requested by Physicians.
- A Risk Assessment is often provided immediately after a person has made a comment about harming themselves or others. Schools, doctors, families, and other professionals can call Brighter Futures Counseling when they have concerns about a students personal safety. The therapist will then come to the school, office, or other site to talk with the child/adolescent to determine the level of severity. The therapist will then assist the professionals involved and/or family with getting the child/adolescent to the appropriate level of care–this could be simply starting outpatient therapy or could be to help the child/adolescent get admitted to a hospital to deal with the immediate crisis. This service is offered at NO COST to the community.
- Mental Health Assessment–also known as a Psychosocial Assessment or an Intake Assessment:
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- The therapist will often ask a parent if they can collect collateral information from other’s working with their child. For instance, the therapist may want to talk to the school of child care center to find out what behaviors the school or center are seeing. This also allows for the teacher and therapist to discuss what is and isn’t working in different settings and collaborate in order to promote successful change for the child.
- Others who can also provide collateral information may include:
- Physicians
- Psychiatrists
- Teachers/School Administrators/School Staff
- Child Care Teachers and Staff
- The Department of Community Based Services
- Others who can also provide collateral information may include:
- Therapists must have a release of information signed by the guardian in order to provide collateral services…
- The therapist will often ask a parent if they can collect collateral information from other’s working with their child. For instance, the therapist may want to talk to the school of child care center to find out what behaviors the school or center are seeing. This also allows for the teacher and therapist to discuss what is and isn’t working in different settings and collaborate in order to promote successful change for the child.
Family Team Meeting Facilitation (FTMs)
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- Often times when families are working with community partners (i.e. schools, child protective services, CASA, etc…) it is beneficial to come together to discuss progress and identify goals that need to be completed. Having a neutral third party to facilitate the meeting allows for communication between parties to be more efficient and advantageous to all. Most often during family team meetings any agency or individual that is working with or is a support to the family, can be invited. Progress and strengths are discussed as well as any barrier or concerns. Generally, an action plan is formed with input from the parties to address any concerns or barriers that may exist.
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- Brighter Futures Counseling PLLC currently does not employee or contract with a medical prescriber; however, we will be more than happy to assist you and your family with finding a medical provider that fits your needs. The therapists will also help you and your family decide if medication can benefit your needs or if there are other therapeutic options…
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- Mental Health Consultation is a free service that Brighter Futures Counseling, PLLC offers to the community. Anyone can call us at anytime to discuss mental health concerns. We will offer assistance and ideas to help you with the current situation and/or suggest the next step in getting the services/help that the individual needs. Often schools call regarding ideas to help a student…
- Our therapists are also willing to provide free observations at schools, child care centers, etc… to help families and professionals with ideas. Often children are struggling in these environments and with some assistance from a mental health professional, teachers and staff can make small changes that lead to huge successes.
- Mental Health Consultation is a free service that Brighter Futures Counseling, PLLC offers to the community. Anyone can call us at anytime to discuss mental health concerns. We will offer assistance and ideas to help you with the current situation and/or suggest the next step in getting the services/help that the individual needs. Often schools call regarding ideas to help a student…
Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation: (Offered by the therapists at Brighter Futures Counseling)
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- Early childhood mental health consultation involves a professional consultant with mental health expertise working collaboratively with early care and education staff, programs and families to improve their ability to prevent, identify, and respond to mental health issues among children in their care. In contrast to direct therapeutic services, ECMHC offers an indirect approach to reducing problem behaviors in young children and, more broadly, promoting positive social and emotional development (Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development).
Community and Parent Trainings
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- Our qualified mental health professionals often provide trainings when requested on topics related to parenting, mental health, social and emotional development, and Early Childhood Mental Health. These trainings can be held at our facilities or at a location determined by the requesting party. Trainings can be tailored to your group, times, and needs.