Referral For Students In Need Of A Psychological Assessment: Fill & Download for Free

Not where I live in Canada.In the small city where I live, we have a large counselling service that has Open House on Thursdays for young people who need help. The whole day is free, and operates like a walk-in clinic. Teachers can make make an appointment, or take students there.Our doctor’s offices and Medical clinics have a referral service where people, including students, can have six sessions for free. It has been part of a mental health initiative so that everyone who needs it can have immediate access to mental health support before anyone gets to the crisis level.Everyone knows that early intervention is crucial. The psychology ward of the hospital can keep people for three days for observation and then a decision is made about how best to support the person seeking help. The hospital has a separate psych ward just for teens.The cost is covered through our taxes so that nobody pays at the point of delivery.All this means that if a student asks for help, or if we feel a student needs help right now, there is a choice of services available without payment up front.We also have a medical clinic just for refugees and new immigrants. Most refugees arrive traumatized and in need of medical assessment. Most do not have a word of English. The staff there speak a variety of languages so medical care can be delivered in the patient’s first language. If nobody on staff speaks that language, they get on the phone to the Multicultural Centre who will find somebody who does.If a teen is approaching crisis, there is lots of help available, immediately.

Unfortunately, yes, it does sometimes happen, but not nearly as often as it used to. Response to Intervention, more valid initial referral, assessment and psychological protocols have created a much better identification environment for students and stakeholders. Better opportunities exist to help struggling students who do not need an IEP, to receive valuable assistance and move closer to level and those who are identified as being in need of services can receive needed services and specialized instruction.

A parent’s concern is the first indication that a professional opinion may be needed to determine whether a child does or does not need further investigation, assessment, diagnosis and treatment in the area(s) of concern.When a child has symptoms — including drawings which make a parent stop and wonder what is going on inside a child’s mind — it is a parent’s obligation to understand what it is that a child needs.A young child’s drawings should only be assessed by a child psychologist when there are other signs or behaviors indicating that all is not well. Here are signs and indications some parents have found to be concerning:Physical harm repeatedly done to self, animals, or other peoplePerseveration about suicide or violenceExcesssive tantrumming after age 3Pulling out of eyelashes, hair, eyebrowsPicking at scabs or causing skin to break openRarely if ever making eye contactNot bonding or connecting with othersCrying excessivelyStimming, rocking, banging head on wall, turning in circles repeatedly and not communicatingDoing the same thing over and over for hours without variationIsolated, uncommunicativeNot sleeping well at nightEnuresis when well past the age of potty trainingNot speakingI must add parents can be the cause of a child’s ‘lack of wellness.’ There are parents who are negligent, and parents who abuse their children. Neighbors and relatives can harm children and cause them trauma, too.That is why, in the USA, we have mandated reporters who are required to report child abuse or harm to a child (by virtue of observing evidence they are required to report to child protective agencies and/or to the police).So when a teacher, who is a mandated reporter, observes cuts, bruises, broken bones, etc., s/he would report same to the designated reporting agency.At the very least, teachers who suspect a child may not be learning as anticipated, can refer such children for further assessment purauant to Child Find, a Law which requires students with disabilities be found, and provided with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) sonthey receive FAPE, a Free, Appropriate, Public Education. This referral for assessment can include psychological assessments, physical or medical assessments, and academic assessments known as a “a Psych-Ed evaluation”. A child’s drawing may be included in such assessments.For more content about psychology, K-12 education, and what is involved in obtaining special education services and accommodations, see Wrightslaw Special Education Law and Advocacy. This is the website of University of Virginia School of Law Professor Pete Wright, who, with Law students and his social-worker wife, Pam Wright, teach education law and advocacy. The website is not paywall blocked, and is available to everyone as a public service.