People often seek out a Psychiatrist or a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) when they are experiencing a mental health crisis. Sometimes that includes worsening of their depression or anxiety.  Some reach out due to difficulties at work, in their relationships or even at school.  At times, people experience a psychiatric crisis and meet a psychiatrist or Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner in a walk-in crisis center or in their local Emergency Room for a crisis evaluation. What is consistent across the board is that most people don’t know what to expect.

What information will they need to know?

Do I need to bring anything in particular? 

How will they help me?

Pop-culture stereotypes offers images of both the good, bad and ugly of psychiatric tropes. So we wanted to take some time to demystify what to expect.

Before You Arrive

Our administrative team will request your insurance information and provide you with consents that are required before starting treatment. These will tell you about Haelen Mental Health's organizational policies, our financial policies and our privacy policies for you to review.

These consents are required to be completed before an appointment begins.

The Initial Intake

At Haelen Mental Health our initial intake is ninety (90) minutes in length, though at times our psychiatric nurse practitioners and mental health therapists are able to complete it in sixty (60) minutes. What they are looking to learn is what we call, the bio-psycho-social background.

They will ask about:

Your medical historyAny psychiatric history - both for you and your familyMedications, supplements and over-the-counter medications you're takingYour experiences with therapy or counselingAny alternative treatments you've trialed and your openness to themInformation about substance use to understand that interaction with your healthSocial history, including interests, friendships Your goals for coming in for care

Your Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner will end the visit with clinical recommendations to move forward based on what is clinically indicated. They refer back to clinical guidelines established by the American Psychiatric Association and American Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists practice parameters to guide treatment recommendations.

At times your provider may need to gather more information such as:

Vital SignsLab values to rule out medical concerns Prior medical records Consultation with other medical providers Talking to family members or trusted friends for additional informationConsider Genetic testing such as Genesight, Tempus, or IDGenetix testingOr, provide referrals for other specialists

After discussing treatment options, you and your Psychiatrist or Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner will agree on a plan.

Follow Up Visits

If both the client and provider are in agreement on a plan, they will make a follow up visit between 2-4 weeks from the initial visit to follow up on their treatment plan. Usually follow up visits are thirty (30) minutes in length and can occur in person or through telehealth, if appropriate.

If you or your family member is looking for behavioral health support, our team of Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners are available to provide support. Our physical office is in Littleton, Colorado though our providers serve the greater Denver area including: Golden, Morrison, Lakewood, Westminster, Aurora, Greenwood Village, Littleton, Highlands Ranch, Castle Rock and Parker. Through telehealth our psychiatric providers are able to provide mental health services throughout Colorado if needed.

Reach out today if you are needing support at 720-469-2845