Today we’re going to discuss how to prepare for a mental health assessment. This is a topic I’m excited about because if you’re reading this, it’s highly likely that you decided to have a mental health assessment.
To structure our conversation, we’re going to break up how to prepare for a mental health assessment into three parts:
First, you want to ensure your forms are filled out in advance. This will give your psychologist what they need to prepare for your evaluation.
If it’s a Disability Benefits Questionnaire (DBQ) assessment, Feel free to review the respective VA form so you have an idea of which topics will be covered. The questions asked by your psychologist will be inputs to this form. Below are links to both DBQ forms used by the Department of Veterans Affairs below. Independent medical opinions (IMOs) cover similar topics as the DBQ assessment so reviewing those forms can still be helpful for an In Depth Evaluation.
Next, clear your calendar for the date and time of your assessment to avoid work or family conflicts. If you have to work before or after, have a plan for how you will transition to and from your assessment space and back to work. I understand life happens, yet the more planning you do to avoid issues the better.
All VMHA assessments are virtual. Which means they’re conducted over the internet. For virtual assessments, identify where you will physically take the assessment. This is very important. You need to be stationary. Too many veterans have tried to drive while having their assessment. This can not work. You and your psychologist will be covering sensitive topics and you need to be able to focus without distractions. So find a private location where you feel comfortable speaking openly and honestly.
Speaking of virtual, there are strict regulations governing telehealth and the state that you must physically be in for your psychologists to conduct your virtual assessment. If you will be traveling outside of your home state during your assessment, communicate that as early as possible so you’ll know if the assessment can still happen or if it needs to be rescheduled.
Ensure your internet connection is strong and your camera and microphone work. It’s important that your psychologist can see you during the assessment so they can write the most accurate evaluation for you. Please check this before the assessment. You don’t want to lose time or get your assessment canceled due to technology issues.
Great. That covers our main preparation items about your forms, location, and technology. Let’s talk about what you need to do right before the assessment.
You’ll need to have a government-issued photo ID handy so your psychologist can verify your identity. Don’t be the veteran who has to run to the other room or your car to get your ID. It happens.
The next and most important thing I want to talk about is your mindset going into the assessment. As veterans, we’ve been trained to adapt, overcome, and bottle shit in. We’ve been conditioned to maintain the stoic face. That’s not productive for this session. For this assessment, please be as open and honest as possible about your experiences and how you have changed. This will give your psychologist access to the evidence you need to support your claim because we all want you to get the rating you deserve.
That’s it for right before the assessment. Have your ID handy and get into the right mindset. Now let’s transition to the assessment.
Stay open and honest – again, this helps you and your psychologist.
Stay on topic: this assessment is all about your service-connected disability and how you are impacted.
Listen to your psychologist and answer their questions. I know many veterans use this time as a free therapy session. While it’s great that you feel comfortable sharing with your psychologist, please stay on topic so that what you share supports the question your psychologist has asked which is in service of your assessment.
That’s it for the assessment. Stay open and honest, stay on topic, and answer the questions asked.
We’ve discussed what to do before your assessment, what to do right before the assessment, and during the assessment. Feel free to review this blog again if you need to refresh on anything before your assessment.
Lastly, if you go through your evaluation and feel comfortable sharing your experiences with your psychologist and don’t have an ongoing relationship with a psychologist, feel free to contact psychology today. It’s a national listing of psychologists and you may be able to find someone that could be a good fit for you. Other therapy options are available on our resources page. In a later blog, I’ll provide some tips on how to think through finding a therapist.
Thanks for reading. Hopefully, you now know how to prepare for a mental health assessment! If you found this helpful, please like and share this content with anyone else who could benefit.
VA Form Links
