What to Expect at Your Doctor's Visit: Mental Health Check-Ins

As you get older, your doctor will start to ask about your mental health at your yearly check-ups. Mental health includes how you think, feel, and act. Here's what you should know:

Mental health is just as important as physical health! Talking about how you’re feeling, what has been difficult, and what has been going well can help you feel better and get support if you need it. Because some kids think about wanting to hurt themselves, death, or not wanting to be alive (also known as suicidal thoughts), we will also ask about that.
We will ask about your mood, strengths, and if you have had any thoughts about wanting to hurt yourself or thoughts about not wanting to be alive. This might involve completing a survey and/or talking with your doctor, who may be taking notes on what you share. We understand that some of these questions may feel uncomfortable. Let your doctor know if you need to take a break, have any questions, or want something to fidget with while you answer these questions. It's up to you if you want your parent or guardian in the room with you during these conversations. Let your doctor know what you would prefer.
If you don’t need any extra support right now, then you’re all set! But if you want some extra help, we can talk together about what to do next. This might involve connecting you to a mental health provider, talking with your parent/guardian (s), or making a plan to stay safe.
We want to know how you’re doing so we can get you the support you need. We respect your privacy and will only involve your parent/guardian(s) if:

It’s needed to keep you safe,

It's needed to help you connect to mental health services, or

If you ask us to

We will always tell you if we are going to share information with others, and you can decide how you want to be involved in those conversations. If you have any questions about privacy or what information might be shared with others, please ask your doctor.
Talking about your mental health with your doctor is a great first step! If something comes up after your appointment, you can call or message your doctor. You can also call or text 988, which is a mental health crisis line, if you need help right away.