Health professionals spend a lot of their time assessing people. Traditionally, formal assessment has permitted the Health professional to identify or diagnose a person’s problem, measure the extent to which the person is affected, and specify the best course of action. In recent times, however, the whole process of assessment has become more collaborative. Health and Mental professionals now use evaluation as an important means of communicating with the person who is seeking help; and working together with this person to choose the best available options to attend to the problems identifed.

This process is no different in the area of Mental Health. Certainly, the mental health evaluation provides a means by which the health professional can measure the mental health of a person. This includes evaluating what it is that the person is experiencing and how these episodes are affecting them. At the same time, having a comprehensive Mental Health Assessment also provides health and mental professionals with an opportunity to connect with the person who has come to them for a guide or help, and begin the process of building a therapeutic relationship.

There are a lot of reasons why all health professionals need to know and be familiar with the process of taking a mental health assessment:

• Such familiarity improves communication between health professionals.
• Knowledge of the process of the mental health assessment will permit  health professionals to describe the process to their patients and help them with their fears, concerns or anxieties.
• There may be several times when there are no specialists  in mental health available to take the mental health assessment. So, it will be the responsibility of the non­ specialist professional to work with the people who has mental health problems and specify the most appropriate way forward.