Mental Health Outpatient Services

Frequently Asked Questions — Mental Health

1. What Mental Health services do you offer?

IYS offers a continuum of services for their clients and families. A Mental Health assessment is the first service scheduled in order to identify the treatment needs of the child or adolescent. Other programs include individual, group and family out patient counseling services, community psychiatric support treatment services, psychiatric services, and a Partial Hospitalization Program. We also have staff working within the Juvenile Court and Children Services Board programs to provide Mental Health programming to youth involved within those systems as well.

2. What ages do you serve?

IYS sees youth of all ages. Children as young as 2 have been served. We can consult with families in regard to children younger than 2 and, if it appears our services are needed, we would see the child as well as their families. We continue to work with youth for as long as they are enrolled in school up until they graduate from high school. Therefore any youth who have turned 18 or older and are still enrolled in high school can be seen at IYS for services. In some cases these youth may be referred to the agency serving the adults in Greene County if it appears more appropriate to their needs.

3. How can I get my child into your services?

Call us at our Xenia or Beavercreek offices and request an intake appointment. You will be scheduled with a counselor who will provide the necessary assessment to determine if your child would benefit from Mental Health services and consult with you in regard to the most appropriate services for your child.

4. How much do your services cost?

Our charges are available for your review. We would encourage you to discuss these charges with our billing specialist because we want to make every effort to inform you of your specific cost prior to initiating any services. We accept all forms of coverage and will provide a negotiated fee for families who are unable to afford our services. Due to the Greene County Mental Health Levy we are currently able to assist families who live within Greene County and are either on Medicaid or unable to afford the full cost of our services.

5. Do you take my insurance?

We accept all insurances but not all insurances pay for our services. Our billing specialist will assist you in determining if your insurance will cover the needed services.

6. How do I know if my child needs MH services?

Does your child…

  1. Often seem sad, tired, restless, or out of sorts?
  2. Spend a lot of time alone?
  3. Have low self-esteem?
  4. Have trouble getting along with family, friends, and peers?
  5. Have frequent outbursts of shouting, complaining, or crying?
  6. Have trouble performing or behaving in school?
  7. Show sudden changes in eating patterns?
  8. Sleep too much or not enough?
  9. Have trouble paying attention or concentrating on tasks like homework?
  10. Seem to have lost interest in hobbies, like music or sports?
  11. Show signs of using drugs and/or alcohol?
  12. Talk about death or suicide?

7. Do you offer crisis services?

Yes. You may access our crisis services by contacting 937-427-3837. After hours, weekends and holidays we contract with a local hotline to manage crisis requests. We follow up during the work week with any individuals who are in need of immediate intervention.

8. Do you offer emergency medication services?

No. However, we make every effort to address the medication needs of our clients as quickly as possible. We are unable to provide medication to individuals who have not been evaluated by our agency psychiatrists. Our crisis staff will assist such families in locating emergency services for their youth while helping to intervene with the child until the youth can be stabilized.

9. How quickly can my child be seen by a counselor?

We are typically able to provide an intake appointment for a new client within 2-3 weeks of the initial request. If it is a crisis the youth can be seen within 24-48 hours.

10. How quickly can my child be seen by a psychiatrist?

Children need to be referred by their IYS counselor before the psychiatrist will be able to see the youth. Psychiatric evaluations are scheduled after an IYS counselor has seen the youth and determined that there is a possible need for psychiatric services. The typical wait time for a psychiatric evaluation appointment is 2-3 months. This time varies from 1-4 months over the course of the year depending upon numbers of referrals and available psychiatric time.

11. How does counseling help children?

At IYS, children and their parents participate actively in counseling services to address the child’s identified needs. We work very closely with parents to assist them in managing their child’s behaviors and emotions in effective ways. With the youth, the counselor will assist them in learning more effective coping skills, improved communication skills and better ways to regulate their emotions. In this way, children and adolescents are able to problem-solve, communicate with parents and peers assertively, and manage their feelings more effectively. Counselors use a variety of tools and approaches to accomplish this and consult with parents regularly. Many of our counselors have received training in Play Therapy, the use of Sand Tray in Play Therapy, Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy, as well as other clinical approaches to working with children and adolescents and the many challenges they face daily.

12. What are some typical mental health problems your agency treats?

Depression and anxiety Adjustment disorders to various life events Severe behavioral dysfunction—rage, lying, stealing, assaultive behaviors Attention deficit disorder, with or without hyperactivity Oppositional defiant disorder Bi-polar affective disorder (aka manic-depression) Parent child relational problems The after-effects of abuse or neglect on children (may include Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) Suicidal thinking Self-harming behaviors, such as cutting oneself, taking dangerous risks Psychosis—Hallucinations or delusions Attachment disorders

13. Do you do psychological testing?

Not at this time. However, we can assist in determining if, in fact, that is what is required and can help families with referrals to appropriate professionals, as needed.

14. Do you do custody or visitation determinations or evaluations?

No. We are not qualified to provide that service. However, we can assist with referrals to professionals who are able to provide this service.

 

In This Section

Counseling - Mental Health

FAQs - Psychiatric Process

FAQs - Mental Health