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ACMH

ACMH

Phone: 517 372-4016

Parent Line: (888) ACMH-KID (226-4543)

  • Home
  • About
    • Meet the ACMH Staff
    • ACMH Board of Directors
    • ACMH Job Opportunities
    • ACMH Annual Reports
  • Get Help
    • Accessing Mental Health Services For My Child
    • Understanding my Child’s Mental Health Challenges
    • Collaborating with the Professionals Working with My Family
    • Navigating
      • Problems at School
      • Navigating the Juvenile Justice System
      • Navigating the Child Welfare System
      • The Mental Health System
    • Finding Resources for Housing, Employment, Childcare, Healthcare and Other Family Supports such as SSI/SSDI
      • Housing
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      • Childcare
      • Free or Low Cost Medications
      • Health Care Coverage
    • Military Family Support
    • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Get Information
    • Children’s Mental Health 101
      • I Am Worried About My Child’s Mental Health
      • Possible Red Flags
      • Who can help
      • How to Access Mental Health Services and Supports
      • I Just Found Out My Child Has a Mental Health Disorder
      • Common Diagnosis
      • Treatments & Supports
      • Questions to Ask About Treatment
      • How to be Actively Involved in Your Child’s Treatment
      • What to Expect
      • When Accessing Mental Health Services Using Public Mental Health
      • When Accessing Mental Health Services Using Private Insurance
      • What to Expect if Your Child is in Crisis
      • Mental Health by Age & Stage
      • Additional Children’s Mental Health Resources
    • Ask the Expert
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      • Parent Support Partner
      • Youth Peer Support
      • Family Action Partnership
      • Statewide Family Network
      • Other Projects & Collaborations
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      • Public Mental Health
      • Juvenile Justice
      • Child Welfare
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    • Help To Create a Local Parent Support Group
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      • Family Driven
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Who can help

Who Can Help?

When you realize that your child may have a mental health disorder and need professional help, it is sometimes difficult to know what to do next or where to go for help.

Often a good place to start is to set up an appointment to discuss your concerns with your child’s pediatrician or your family doctor. Pediatricians (doctors who specialize in treating children) know what is considered normal behavior for children at different ages. They can also determine if the problem is physical, rather than emotional. The doctor can decide if further medical tests are needed, and suggest additional steps to take.

If your doctor determines that the problem appears to be emotional rather than physical, they should refer your child to a mental health professional for an assessment. Social workers, psychiatrists, or psychologists can perform mental health assessments. Assessments can be provided through private practitioners, agencies or through your local community mental health service provider. More information about the different types of mental health service providers can be found by clicking here. The type of mental health professional you are referred to and where you go for the assessment will depend on a number of things including your child’s needs, your type of insurance and income status.

If your child does not have a pediatrician or family doctor you can instead contact your local Community Mental Health by calling the ACCESS center for a mental health screening. The Access number for your county can be found by clicking here.

Another option would be to contact your local or intermediate school district and ask for an evaluation, especially if your child is struggling at school as well as at home. Schools have a legal obligation to find and evaluate children (including infants, toddlers, preschoolers, children and youth) who may have disabilities in their districts. You can call your local school about your concerns and request an evaluation. You will also want to follow up your requests for school evaluation in writing. Once the school receives your request they will ask you to sign a Consent to Evaluate form giving them your permission to evaluate your child. The Consent to Evaluate form should list the types of testing they expect to complete. Once the school receives your signed request to evaluate form the school district will conduct an evaluation and hold a meeting to discuss their findings with you and other school personnel within 30 school days. The school evaluation will also help to determine if your child is eligible for any special services and supports at school to help them manage their mental health challenges and be successful in the school setting. The evaluation is done at no cost to your family. More information about school evaluations and special education can be found by clicking here.

Before contacting the doctor, school or Community Mental Health it may be helpful to make a list of your concerns and try to capture what has been happening and for how long. This will help ensure that you don’t forget any important details and that you have complete information ready to share so you are prepared to ask and answer questions. For more information about what to ask and what to share when trying to access mental health services for your child click here.

Keep in mind that it is important that you seek help for your child and family as soon as possible when you suspect that your child has a mental health problem. Sometimes your child’s doctor, CMH or school may not recognize your child’s difficulties as potential signs of a mental health problem and may dismiss your concerns. If this happens, don’t give up! If after talking to the doctor, school or CMH you are still concerned about your child, it is important for you to trust your instincts. You are the expert on your child and know your child better than anyone, so if you are concerned that the potential problems are not being addressed, seek a second opinion and feel free to call our statewide toll free number if you need help deciding what to do next.

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  • Home
  • About
    • Meet the ACMH Staff
    • ACMH Board of Directors
    • ACMH Job Opportunities
    • ACMH Annual Reports
  • Get Help
    • Accessing Mental Health Services For My Child
    • Understanding my Child’s Mental Health Challenges
    • Collaborating with the Professionals Working with My Family
    • Navigating
      • Problems at School
      • Navigating the Juvenile Justice System
      • Navigating the Child Welfare System
      • The Mental Health System
    • Finding Resources for Housing, Employment, Childcare, Healthcare and Other Family Supports such as SSI/SSDI
      • Housing
      • Employment
      • Childcare
      • Free or Low Cost Medications
      • Health Care Coverage
    • Military Family Support
    • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Get Information
    • Children’s Mental Health 101
      • I Am Worried About My Child’s Mental Health
      • Possible Red Flags
      • Who can help
      • How to Access Mental Health Services and Supports
      • I Just Found Out My Child Has a Mental Health Disorder
      • Common Diagnosis
      • Treatments & Supports
      • Questions to Ask About Treatment
      • How to be Actively Involved in Your Child’s Treatment
      • What to Expect
      • When Accessing Mental Health Services Using Public Mental Health
      • When Accessing Mental Health Services Using Private Insurance
      • What to Expect if Your Child is in Crisis
      • Mental Health by Age & Stage
      • Additional Children’s Mental Health Resources
    • Ask the Expert
    • ACMH Projects
      • Parent Support Partner
      • Youth Peer Support
      • Family Action Partnership
      • Statewide Family Network
      • Other Projects & Collaborations
    • For Community Agencies
    • Child and Family Services
      • Public Mental Health
      • Juvenile Justice
      • Child Welfare
      • Education
    • Training Opportunities & Calendar
      • ACMH Trainings
      • Community Partner Trainings
      • Youth Mental Health First Aid
      • Youth Peer Support Project
      • Webinars
      • Parent Support Partner (PSP) Training Calendar
      • ACMH Staff Portal
  • Get Support
    • Support for You
    • Family Stories
    • The Manual
    • Online Discussions
    • Find Support in Your Local Community
    • Help To Create a Local Parent Support Group
  • Get Involved
    • Family Leadership Opportunities
    • Importance of Family Voice in Creating Effective Services & Supports
      • Family Driven
      • Youth Guided
    • Share Your Story
    • Advocacy 101
  • Youth Page
    • Youth Blog
  • Contact
ACMH

Association for Children’s Mental Health

6017 W. St. Joseph Hwy., Suite #200,
Lansing, Michigan 48917
Phone: (517) 372-4016
Fax: (517) 372-4032
Parent Line: (888) ACMH-KID (226-4543)

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  • Home
  • About
    • Meet the ACMH Staff
    • ACMH Board of Directors
    • ACMH Job Opportunities
    • ACMH Annual Reports
  • Get Help
    • Accessing Mental Health Services For My Child
    • Understanding my Child’s Mental Health Challenges
    • Collaborating with the Professionals Working with My Family
    • Navigating
      • Problems at School
      • Navigating the Juvenile Justice System
      • Navigating the Child Welfare System
      • The Mental Health System
    • Finding Resources for Housing, Employment, Childcare, Healthcare and Other Family Supports such as SSI/SSDI
      • Housing
      • Employment
      • Childcare
      • Free or Low Cost Medications
      • Health Care Coverage
    • Military Family Support
    • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Get Information
    • Children’s Mental Health 101
      • I Am Worried About My Child’s Mental Health
      • Possible Red Flags
      • Who can help
      • How to Access Mental Health Services and Supports
      • I Just Found Out My Child Has a Mental Health Disorder
      • Common Diagnosis
      • Treatments & Supports
      • Questions to Ask About Treatment
      • How to be Actively Involved in Your Child’s Treatment
      • What to Expect
      • When Accessing Mental Health Services Using Public Mental Health
      • When Accessing Mental Health Services Using Private Insurance
      • What to Expect if Your Child is in Crisis
      • Mental Health by Age & Stage
      • Additional Children’s Mental Health Resources
    • Ask the Expert
    • ACMH Projects
      • Parent Support Partner
      • Youth Peer Support
      • Family Action Partnership
      • Statewide Family Network
      • Other Projects & Collaborations
    • For Community Agencies
    • Child and Family Services
      • Public Mental Health
      • Juvenile Justice
      • Child Welfare
      • Education
    • Training Opportunities & Calendar
      • ACMH Trainings
      • Community Partner Trainings
      • Youth Mental Health First Aid
      • Youth Peer Support Project
      • Webinars
      • Parent Support Partner (PSP) Training Calendar
      • ACMH Staff Portal
  • Get Support
    • Support for You
    • Family Stories
    • The Manual
    • Online Discussions
    • Find Support in Your Local Community
    • Help To Create a Local Parent Support Group
  • Get Involved
    • Family Leadership Opportunities
    • Importance of Family Voice in Creating Effective Services & Supports
      • Family Driven
      • Youth Guided
    • Share Your Story
    • Advocacy 101
  • Youth Page
    • Youth Blog
  • Contact
  • About
  • News
  • Events
  • Blog
  • Membership
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