What to Expect at Your Child's Doctor Visit: Mental Health Check-Ins
As part of our commitment to your child’s health, as they get older we will start to ask about mental health at yearly check-ups. Here's what you should know:
​Mental health is just as important as physical health. Many kids and teens experience stress, anxiety, sadness, or thoughts of self-harm or suicide. Just like checking height, weight, or blood pressure, checking up on mental health helps us spot concerns early before they become more serious.
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As kids get older, how they deal with tough feelings may change.
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They may experience more stress, sadness, worries, or start using drugs or alcohol.
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This can cause teens to think about harming themselves or ending their life.
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Regularly checking-in to ask how your child is doing can help you know if they need more support. With the right support, they can heal and thrive.
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We will ask your child about their mood, worries, and thoughts of suicide and self-harm. This may be done through completing a short, age-appropriate survey, and/or having a conversation with their doctor.
If your child is more comfortable talking to us alone, we may ask you to step out of the room for these conversations. However, we will always let you know if there's a safety concern.
Even if your child hasn’t expressed any concerns, mental health screening is a helpful check-in to keep the conversation open.
Depending on what your child shares, we may help them create a plan to stay safe and would include you in that conversation. We may also provide education, crisis resources, and emotional support resources for you and your child. If there is a safety concern, we will let you know.
Because there can be long waits to see a mental health provider, we may recommend scheduling some follow-up check-ins with us while you and your child wait to connect with outside care.
We respect your child’s privacy and aim to build trust. If your child is 13 years or older, Washington law states they have the right to keep their mental health information private.
However, if we are concerned for your child’s safety, we will let you know. Our goal is to work with families and patients together to get your child the help they need.