Where to Start When Your Child May Need a Mental Health Evaluation
Short answer
For many families, a good first call is the child's pediatrician, who can look for medical causes and give a referral. A child and adolescent psychiatrist fits broad or complex concerns, or when medicine may come up. A psychologist's evaluation fits questions about attention, learning or testing. A school evaluation looks at what your child needs in class. These routes can run side by side, and none of them commits you to treatment.
In crisis or thinking about suicide? Call or text 988 now (in New York City it reaches NYC 988). If you are in immediate danger, call 911.
This guide is not enough if
- Your child is in danger now or talks about wanting to hurt themselves or someone else: call or text 988, or call 911.
- You need a legal answer about custody, consent or a school dispute.
- You want to know what one specific evaluation involves step by step (see the linked articles instead).
- Your question is about a medicine your child already takes: ask the prescriber.
If you are not sure where to begin
Maybe a teacher called. Maybe the tantrums, worry or trouble focusing have gone on longer than you expected. You know something is off, but you are not sure who to call first, and every office seems to ask a different question.
NIMH suggests considering help (opens in a new tab) when a child's behavior or emotions last for weeks or longer, cause distress for your child or your family, or get in the way of school, home life or friendships. NIMH also says a good first move is to talk with people who see your child often, such as a teacher, and then with your child's pediatrician.
This guide helps you pick a first step. It does not walk through what happens inside a psychiatric evaluation; this article on what happens at a child psychiatric evaluation does that.
Four first steps and the question each one answers
Each option below answers a slightly different question. Many families use more than one.
- Your child's pediatrician or primary care provider. A good place to describe what you and the school have noticed. NIMH says you can ask the provider for a referral to a mental health professional who has experience evaluating and treating children. CDC notes that the process for ADHD includes a medical exam, with hearing and vision tests, to rule out other problems that can look similar.
- A child and adolescent psychiatrist. AACAP describes this specialist as a medical doctor (opens in a new tab) who diagnoses and treats disorders of thinking, feeling and behavior. The exam looks at medical, developmental, emotional, school, family and peer factors together. This route often fits when concerns are broad, several problems overlap, or medicine may be part of the discussion.
- A psychologist's evaluation. In New York, the practice of psychology (opens in a new tab) includes psychological and neuropsychological testing and the diagnosis and treatment of mental, emotional and learning problems. Psychologists in New York do not prescribe. This route often fits questions about attention, learning or how your child thinks and processes information.
- A school evaluation. Your school district's Committee on Special Education (CSE) evaluates whether your child has a disability and what supports your child needs in school. It is a separate track from a private evaluation, covered below.
| First step | Often a fit when | What to bring or do |
|---|---|---|
| Pediatrician or primary care | You are not sure what is going on, or a medical cause needs checking | Your notes and what the teacher has said; ask for a referral if needed |
| Child and adolescent psychiatrist | Concerns are broad or overlap, or medicine may be discussed | Records, medicine list, school reports, signed releases |
| Psychologist evaluation | The question is attention, learning or testing (ADHD evaluations here start at age 7) | Prior testing, report cards, teacher input |
| School (CSE) evaluation | You want to know whether your child needs special education or supports in class | A dated written referral to the CSE chairperson or building administrator |
| Crisis or safety concern | Your child may be in danger now | Call or text 988, or call 911 |
When ADHD is the main question
CDC says there is no single test (opens in a new tab) for ADHD. A psychologist or psychiatrist can make the diagnosis, and so can a primary care provider such as a pediatrician. CDC adds that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends asking parents, teachers and other adults who care for the child about behavior in different settings, such as at home, at school or with peers.
NIMH explains that symptoms must be present in two or more settings (opens in a new tab) and must interfere with functioning. That is why a careful evaluation asks for teacher input and school records, not just what the clinician sees in the office. NIMH also notes that stress, sleep problems, anxiety and depression can cause symptoms that look like ADHD.
At Mind Body Seven, ADHD evaluations are done by licensed clinical psychologists for children age 7 and older, teens and adults, in three steps: an intake, assessment measures and a feedback session. If your child is younger than 7, the pediatrician or a child and adolescent psychiatrist is usually the place to start. To prepare your child, see how parents can prepare kids for ADHD testing, and for how children's testing differs from adults', see ADHD testing for adults vs. kids. Many evaluations use rating scales; this guide on rating scales and measurement-based care explains what they can and cannot show.
The school route runs on its own track
A private evaluation and a school evaluation answer different questions. A doctor or psychologist looks at what may explain your child's symptoms. The school's evaluation decides whether your child needs special education or other supports to take part and make progress in class.
New York's parent guide to special education (opens in a new tab) says a parent can make a written referral at any time, addressed to the CSE chairperson or the school's building administrator. A teacher or physician can ask the district to refer your child, but only a referral by a parent or a person the district designates starts the process. The initial evaluation is at no cost to you, and any outside evaluations you share must be considered.
The details, timelines and your options if you disagree are in 504 plans and IEPs: a parent's guide in New York.
What each first step will need from you
Whichever door you choose, having a few things ready saves time and gives a fuller picture.
- A short timeline: when the concern started, what changed around then and what you have tried.
- Report cards, teacher emails or notes, and any 504 plan or IEP.
- Reports from earlier testing, evaluations or therapy. Mind Body Seven's FAQs ask families to bring prior psychological testing and evaluations, and to complete the online intake forms before the first visit.
- A list of medicines and supplements, and your child's medical history.
- Signed permission, if you want the clinician to talk with the school or the pediatrician. AACAP notes that with a parent's permission, the psychiatrist may contact the family doctor, school staff or relatives.
- Time for more than one visit. At this practice, a child's evaluation typically takes two to three sessions: usually parents first, then your child, then a feedback visit with parents.
When this is not the right first step
If your child is unsafe right now, or talks about wanting to hurt themselves or someone else, do not wait for an appointment. Call or text 988, or call 911. More options are on the crisis and hotline resources page. Outpatient practices, including this one, cannot respond to emergencies.
If the main worry is physical, such as pain, a recent illness or a sudden change in sleep or eating, start with the pediatrician. If what you need most is help at school, put the written CSE referral in now; you do not have to wait for a private evaluation. If your teen wants a say in their own care, the rules on consent are specific, so read minors and consent in New York.
If you are weighing testing against a psychiatric evaluation, the next guide compares them: psychological testing vs. psychiatric evaluation. When you are ready, the child and adolescent psychiatry and therapy page explains how the practice works with families.
Frequently asked questions
Can a pediatrician diagnose ADHD?
Yes. CDC says an ADHD diagnosis can be made by a primary care provider such as a pediatrician, or by a mental health professional such as a psychologist or psychiatrist. NIMH notes that primary care providers sometimes diagnose and treat ADHD themselves, or refer the child to a mental health professional. Referral may make sense when other concerns, such as anxiety or sleep problems, may also be involved. Either way, input from home and school is part of the process.
Do I need a referral to see a child psychiatrist?
Not always. Some insurance plans require a referral for specialist care and some do not, so ask your plan before you book. Even when a referral is not required, a note from the pediatrician can help, because it shares the medical history and any tests already done. NIMH suggests asking the pediatrician for a referral to a professional experienced with children.
Should I get a private evaluation or a school evaluation?
They answer different questions, so many families do both. A private evaluation looks at what may explain the symptoms and what treatment may help. The school's evaluation decides what supports your child needs in class and is at no cost to you. New York's parent guide says outside evaluations you share with the school must be considered.
How many visits does a child's evaluation take at Mind Body Seven?
The practice's FAQs say the initial evaluation typically takes two to three sessions for children. Usually the first appointment is with parents only, the second is with your child, and the third is a feedback and treatment planning visit with parents. The details can differ slightly from one clinician to another, and the Intake Coordinators can explain each clinician's process.
Can my teenager ask for an evaluation on their own?
Teens can and often do raise the idea first, and their view matters in any plan. Whether a teen can consent to care without a parent depends on the type of care and the situation, so this guide does not summarize those rules. This article on minors and consent in New York explains them.
Next: take the next step
When you are ready, read more about how Mind Body Seven can help, in Brooklyn or by telehealth across New York State, or request a consultation and an Intake Coordinator will follow up.
Sources
- NIMH: Children and Mental Health: Is This Just a Stage? (revised 2024)
- CDC: Diagnosing ADHD
- NIMH: Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: What You Need to Know (revised 2024)
- AACAP Facts for Families No. 00: Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists
- AACAP Facts for Families No. 52: Comprehensive Psychiatric Evaluation
- NYSED: Special Education in New York State for Preschool and School-Age Students with Disabilities: A Parent's Guide (2025)
- NYSED Office of the Professions: Education Law Article 153, Psychology
- Mind Body Seven: FAQs
Reviewed by Dr. Beata Lewis, MD, Founder and Clinical Director, board-certified in adult psychiatry, child and adolescent psychiatry, and integrative medicine on November 8, 2026. Facts checked against the sources above on November 8, 2026. This guide is general education, not medical advice, a diagnosis or a treatment plan, and reading it does not make you a patient of Mind Body Seven. For advice about your situation, talk with a licensed clinician.