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  1. Maximus
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  3. Clinical assessments are vital for addressing children's mental health

Clinical assessments are vital for addressing children's mental health

Christa Ballew

Christa Ballew

October 22, 2024

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We help states provide children and families with the services and support they need to thrive.

A young boy sits on a couch with his legs drawn up to him and his expression neutral. The room is dark, but the tablet on his lap illuminates his face.

As our nation faces a growing mental health crisis, families need access to government services and support, which often begin with a clinical assessment. Maximus not only delivers person-centered assessments but also provides program implementation and process improvements that support child and adolescent behavioral health.

Decisions guided by objectivity

We’ve long been a nationally recognized leader in independent, conflict-free assessments. Our independence means we don’t have potential conflicts of interest with service providers or payers and stand firmly on providing objective assessments and determinations that help people and their caregivers navigate paths to services and supports.

We work with children and adolescents representing the entire development spectrum, including those with intellectual and developmental disabilities, behavioral health conditions, and complex medical needs. Our goal is to help them receive the essential services and support necessary to improve their quality of life.

State and local government agencies rely on our expertise and experience to help guide their decisions regarding program eligibility, service intensity, and appropriate placements. We understand populations with complex health needs and know how to connect them with government-funded supports and services. We work with various state agencies, including Medicaid, state departments of health, and child welfare.

Collaboration and shared goals

One state’s Comprehensive Assessment for Treatment program highlights how a collaborative and integrative approach helps determine if a child needs residential treatment and, if so, the appropriate level of services and the setting to meet their specific needs. We work with multiple state agencies: child protection, juvenile justice, courts, community providers, care management entities, local school districts, hospitals, and substance use disorder treatment providers. Our shared goal is that no matter how families reach out for help, all children can access assessments that determine their behavioral health needs.

Streamlined assessments

Another state uses a single assessment tool to deliver Level of Care determinations for children and adolescents with behavioral and psychiatric needs who are seeking admission to treatment foster care or out-of-home residential treatment. This means each person we assess with this single evidence-based tool will receive a determination for the most appropriate and least restrictive level of care — without having to duplicate efforts through multiple assessment processes.

Supporting child wellbeing

Children and youth have unique health needs and our services support their overall wellbeing and quality of life. We’re proud to be the go-to partner for many states across the country, bringing person-centered services and evidence-based tools and approaches. 

This insight also appeared on LinkedIn during Children's Health Month.

Read the article

About the author

Christa Ballew

Christa Ballew, Senior Managing Director, Clinical Services

Christa Ballew is responsible for a national portfolio of assessment projects that help people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, behavioral health diagnoses, and complex physical or medical conditions receive essential services.

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