Young Adult Services at CUCARD
Comprehensive Diagnostic Evaluation
All young adult patients receive a comprehensive intake assessment before they begin treatment. This process, which includes a diagnostic evaluation and a battery of empirically validated assessments measures, facilitates the development of the most effective treatment plan.
This evaluation is typically conducted over a single two- to three-hour meeting and may include the following:
- A comprehensive diagnostic interview is conducted for approximately two hours. During this process our expert clinicians will carefully assess anxiety and mood issues, screen for other mental illnesses, and determine the degree of impairment in daily functioning
- A battery of self-report questionnaires is administered to complement the results of the clinic interview and provide important insights into the presence of additional symptoms and areas of functioning
- With patient consent, an abbreviated one-hour supplemental interview is conducted with parents to identify key family issues
Comprehensive Treatment Programs
Following the diagnostic evaluation, the clinician will conduct a feedback session, during which potential patients are offered the following:
- Clear identification and conceptualization of core psychological issues and factors that may be contributing to distress and impairment
- Treatment recommendations based on the best, scientifically validated interventions
- Treatment recommendations may involve referrals to one of our programs, or another specialist when appropriate.
- Our psychosocial treatments are based on cognitive-behavioral principles and involve several key components, including teaching patients about the causes, consequences, and maintaining factors associated with anxiety, how to manage these symptoms and cope with challenging situations, and build skills to improve daily functioning and overall quality of life.
- Where indicated based on individual patient needs, our staff psychiatrists offer psychiatric consultation for second opinions, evaluation of patient status, and medication treatment. Our psychiatrists are available to treat patients who may initiate or continue medication treatment.
Recommendations may include:
- Cognitive-behavioral individual treatment
- Family-based cognitive-behavioral treatment
- Cognitive-behavioral group treatment
- Combined medication and cognitive behavioral therapy
