Therapist facilitates group discussion with youth and their parents

Children and their parents can access mental health appointments within 1 week through the new scheduling assessment

Child and adolescent mental health conditions are on the rise, which prompted the United States Surgeon General to declare a youth mental health crisis in 2021. For parents, while the mental well-being of their children is a major concern, it can be challenging to determine when professional therapy might be necessary. 

To address this growing need, The Behavioral Medical Center at Loma Linda University Health now offers a free assessment designed for children and their parents to help determine whether therapy could be beneficial. 

“Youth Services is one of the most frequently searched topics on our website,” says Glenn Scott, LCSW, FACHE, director of the Youth Partial Hospital Program at Loma Linda University Behavioral Health. 

“With our new assessment, we are engaging the youth population through digital tools they are already familiar with, providing a more accessible starting point to mental health care.” 

While traditional access to mental health services required phone appointments that often led to delays, extended waiting periods, and missed opportunities for connection, making an appointment with the intake assessment is a digital process that only takes a few minutes to complete. 

“Families discharged from the emergency room on a Friday morning would have to wait until Monday to book an appointment,” Scott says regarding the old ways of scheduling an appointment. “Our intake assessment allows patients to book appointments instantly from their phones or computers.”

Once an appointment is scheduled, families participate in an hour-long video-based session with a therapist. During this time, the clinician evaluates the child’s mental health needs and determines the appropriate level of care. 

Treatment options include: 

  • Youth Intensive Outpatient Program: A variety of programs designed to treat a range of mental illnesses.

  • Youth Partial Hospitalization Program: Individualized, intensive outpatient psychiatric treatment. 

Scott says the launch of the intake assessment has led to a 60% increase in scheduled assessments. This success highlights the demand for flexible, user-friendly ways to connect children and their parents with care providers.

If you’re unsure whether your child needs therapy, some signs to watch for include:

  • Prolonged sadness

  • Withdrawal from friends and activities

  • Academic struggles

  • Changes in eating and sleeping habits

  • Difficulty maintaining relationships

  • Trauma surrounding significant life changes

  • Self-harm or harmful thoughts

  • Behavioral changes

Encouraging young people to engage with their medical care early can be empowering and beneficial for their long-term well-being. If you believe your child might benefit from therapy, schedule an assessment or call us at 909-558-9113.