75+ Rating Scales & Assessment Tools
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With the ICANotes Behavioral Health EHR, clinicians have access to more than 75 different electronic rating scales and assessment tools for adults and children. These rating scales and behavioral health assessments are integrated with the patient's mental health chart and treatment plans to ensure all patient records are easily accessible and secure. Built-in electronic assessments are available for depression, anxiety, PTSD, mood disorders, substance abuse and so much more, allowing clinicians to spend less time on paperwork and more time with patients.
We've integrated the most popular public domain behavioral health rating scales and assessment tools including:
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What are Assessment Tools?
Assessment tools are resources designed to help an individual recognize a need to visit a doctor or for a clinician to use when consulting with a patient. These resources can be in paper or digital format.
Assessment tools use a database of standardized questions to determine an individual's mental health and whether they pose a risk to themselves or others.
The Purpose of Mental and Behavioral Health Assessments and Screenings
Mental and behavioral health assessments are a valuable tool — but how do they work and what can they do for your practice?
What is a Behavioral Health Assessment?
A behavioral health assessment consists of a series of questions, interviews, and mental and physical examinations that clinicians use to understand patients. Behavioral health assessments are not intended to provide complete diagnoses. Instead, their purpose is to lay the groundwork and better frame your patient's concerns. Both children and adults benefit from the use of behavioral health assessments.
Why are Mental Health Assessments Important?
The information collected through the use of assessment tools offers valuable insight into patient health and provides a starting point for diagnosis and treatment.
Standardized mental health assessment tools provide an opportunity for clinicians to understand their patients better — their struggles, concerns, habits and behaviors. Through the use of assessment tools, you can evaluate these symptoms, behaviors and concerns and compile them to create a personalized profile of their case. Assessment tools allow you to form a big-picture view of your patient's overall wellbeing.
Mental health assessments also allow both patient and clinician to set and measure goals during treatment.
10 Types of Assessment Tools for Mental and Behavioral Health Professionals
Assessment tools can be used to assist patients — young, old and in between — with several mental and behavioral health concerns. Below are 10 types of mental health tools for adults and children, as well as popular examples from each category.
1. Anxiety
Anxiety assessment tools, such as those listed below, can help identify which type of anxiety your patient's symptoms are most closely associated with, as well as the severity of those symptoms:
- Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS)
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder Screener (GAD-7)
- Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale
- Zung Anxiety Scale
2. Addiction
There are several tools available for all types of addictions, including addiction to drugs, alcohol and gambling. Useful addiction assessment tools include:
- Addiction Severity Index (ASI)
- Brief Addiction Monitor
- Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST)
- Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT-C)
- South Oaks Gambling Screen Assessment
3. Mood Disorders
Because the symptoms of different mood disorders may manifest similar symptoms, assessment tools can be used to help identify which disorder your patient most closely aligns with. For example, the Mood Disorder Questionnaire and the Bipolar Spectrum Diagnostic Scale could be used in tandem to help determine whether your patient is experiencing symptoms of bipolar disorder rather than borderline personality disorder or something similar.
4. Depression
Each patient experiences symptoms of depression differently from one another. Depression screening tools can help you direct sessions or tests toward your patient's specific needs. Two examples of depression assessment tools are the Geriatric Depression Scale and the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale.
5. Personality Disorders
A popular personality disorder tool, the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale, is used to gauge the symptoms of adults who might be living with ADHD.
6. Suicide
If a patient is displaying suicidal warning signs, assessment tools like the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale can help gauge the severity of those tendencies.
7. Trauma
Trauma has several sub-categories. Two common tools for diagnosing trauma are the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist and the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale.
8. Eating Disorders
The Eating Disorder Diagnosis Scale is helpful when handling cases of suspected anorexia, bulimia or binge-eating disorder.
9. Behavioral
Behavioral health assessments are designed to provide a better view of the patient's home life, mental wellbeing, daily activities, habits and more. Data from these assessments can be used to support and make sense of information gathered from other tests. A few examples of behavioral assessment tools are:
- Wahler Self-Description Inventory
- Daily Living Activities
- Parental Stress Scale
10. Children and Youth
Mental health assessment tools are not just for adults. There are many screening tools to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of children and youth. Examples include:
- Revised Children's Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS)
- Traumatic Events Screening Inventory for Children (TESI-C)
- Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (MFQ)
- Child PTSD Symptom Scale
- Problem-Oriented Screening Instrument for Teenagers (POSIT)
- Pediatric Symptom Checklist (PSC)
How is a Mental Health Assessment Done?
A mental health assessment typically begins with a patient scheduling an appointment with their general practitioner. The GP will conduct physical examinations and other medical tests. Once they have ruled out the presence of physical illness, they will then refer the patient to a mental health specialist, who will complete a brief problem checklist and administer further mental health assessment forms. These tests will be formal and standardized or informal and non-standardized. They can be self-reported assessments completed by the patient or conducted by a therapist. Some standard formats for mental health assessments are:
- Interviews
- Standardized tests
- Observations
- Questionnaires
- Rating scales
- Checklists
Throughout these assessments, clinicians also take note of a patient's appearance, behavior, attitude, mood, insight, cognition and more. All of the information collected from health assessments and tools can now be used to compile a profile that provides a big-picture view of your patient's mental and behavioral health.
Let ICANotes EHR Software Handle Your Assessment Tools
ICANotes is the only EHR software that actually thinks like a clinician. Our software is always HIPAA compliant and ensures the privacy of your notes, including prevention of alteration or destruction of your records.
ICANotes Behavioral Health EHR is ideal for any mental and behavioral setting, including:
Contact us today to learn more about what ICANotes can do for your practice or click here to request a free trial of our EHR system.
Behavioral Health Assessment Tools for ChildrenIncluded with ICANotes
1915(c) Independent Behavioral Health Assessment
CANS: Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths
CASII: Child and Adolescent Service Intensity Instrument
CATS: Child and Adolescent Trauma Screen - Caregiver 3-6
CATS: Child and Adolescent Trauma Screen - Caregiver 7-17
CATS: Child and Adolescent Trauma Screen - Youth
CFARS: Children's Functional Assessment Rating Scale
Children's Uniform Mental Health Assessment
Columbia Depression Scale (4 Weeks) - Youth
Columbia Depression Scale (Year) - Youth
CPSS: Child PTSD Symptom Scale
CRAFFT Screening Test
MFQ-Child: Mood and Feelings Questionnaire
NICHQ Vanderbilt Parent Assessment
NICHQ Vanderbilt Parent Follow-Up
PHQ-A: Patient Health Questionnaire, Adolescent
POSIT: Problem Oriented Screening Instrument for Teenagers
PSC: Pediatric Symptom Checklist
RAPI: Rutgers Alcohol Problem Index
RCADS-P: Revised Children's Anxiety and Depression Scale - Parent
RCADS: Revised Children's Anxiety and Depression Scale
SCARED: Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders-Parent
TESI-C: Traumatic Events Screening Inventory for Children
Valerie Barfield
APRN, GNP-BC, Sage Lifecare, Memphis, TN
"ICANotes creates a narrative note that is readable and thorough. I get lots of compliments on my documentation and I feel more confident in my coding.”
Intuitive, Accessible, Time-Saving
ICANotes - the only EHR software that actually thinks like a clinician.
