Assessment and referral
To access these services, call Assessment and Referral at 763-236-7911.
What are assessment and referral services?
What can you expect?
How long will assessment take?
What kind of information will the clinician look for?
What will happen when the assessment is done?
Assessment and referral staff are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at Mercy Hospital for people who:
- Are experiencing acute emotional distress
- Feel overwhelmed and don't know where to turn
- Are losing control to the point of harming themselves or others
- Need help for chemical dependency or substance abuse issues
- Need referrals to support groups, outpatient care, community resources, hospitalization or other specialized services
Services include:
- Telephone assessments to briefly assess a patient's situation and refer him/her to appropriate resources for help
- Face-to-face assessments in the Emergency Department
- Facilitation of admissions
- Referral information
- Identification of treatment services to best meet the individual's needs
- Assistance with pre-certification, pre-authorization and clarification of available treatment options
What are assessment and referral services?
Assessment and referral is a hospital-based behavioral health service that responds to mental health or substance abuse crisis. Most services are received in the emergency department but they can also be accessed by phone.
What can you expect?
If you have come to the emergency department for an assessment, you will be taken to a room where you will be assessed by and emergency department nurse and doctor and an assessment and referral clinician (masters degree level mental health professional).
The clinician will meet with you and anyone who has come with you to assess how severe your crisis is and to determine the right level of care for you. Meeting with the clinician does not mean you will need to stay in the hospital.
If a child or adolescent is being assessed, family and/or guardian involvement is important. A parent and/or guardian must stay in the Emergency Department during the assessment process.
How long will assessment take?
The time you stay in the emergency department will vary for each person. Staff members are helping a variety of patients who have a number of medical and behavioral health emergencies. Assessment and referral clinicians often consult with on-call phychiatrists, insurance companies, outpatient providers and other community agencies.
What kind of information will the clinician look for?
You may be asked some of the following questions:
- What events led up to a visit to the emergency department?
- Have you recently had a loss or death in your life?
- Are financial/employment issues a concern?
- Are there any recent changes in your relationships with loved ones
- Do you have pending legal issues?
- Is there a family history of abuse, mental illness or substance abuse?
- Does someone in your family or someone close to you have a substance abuse problem?
- How often, and in what quantity, do you use alcohol or other drugs?
- Are you a danger to yourself?
- Are you a danger to others?
- Have you ever been physically, emotionally or sexually abused?
- Have you had recent changes in appetite, sleep, hygiene, interests or activities, social interactions, energy or sexual interests?
- What medicines are you taking now?
- Do you have any major health concerns?
What will happen when the assessment is done?
Once the assessment is done, a plan will be made to help you receive the right level of care. The possibilities include (but are not limited to):
- Admission to the hospital
- Transfer to another hospital
- Return home with a crisis plan in place
- An outpatient appointment with a behavioral health provider
- Referral to a day treatment or partial hospital stay program
- Information about additional resources
It is important to know that even though you may feel overwhelmed with behavioral issues or other conflicts, being admitted to the hospital may not be the best solution. Admission to a hospital is a medical decision made by the emergency department doctor and the on-call psychiatrist. An assessment and referral clinician will talk with you about your options.
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