What are mental health assessments?

​

Mental health assessments provide the evidence veterans need to support their mental health disability claims. Our experienced psychologists provide Disability Benefits Questionnaires (DBQs) and Independent Medical Opinions (IMOs) that capture the evidence needed by the Department of Veteran's Affairs (VA), while creating a safe space for veterans to share their challenges.

​

How do you know if a mental health assessment is right for you?

​

If you’re filing your mental health claim for the first time, we recommend having a mental health professional provide an assessment to ensure you start the process with the appropriate evidence. If you were denied your mental health claim, having an assessment done by a mental health professional allows you to provide the evidence you need to support your claim. If you began experiencing mental health related symptoms during or after service, such as: feeling sad or down, feeling worried or withdrawing from friends and activities.

​

What are some indicators that your mental health may have been impacted by your service?

​

Have you experienced a change in your mood, socialization, motivation, interest in activities since joining or leaving service? Did you experience a traumatic event during service that is impacting your mood, social functioning, or work performance? Have you experienced thoughts of harming yourself since joining or leaving service? If you’ve answered yes to any of these questions, your mental health may have been impacted by your service and an assessment could be right for you. 

 

How is VMHA different from other assessment practices?

​

We have very high standards for the psychologists that we work with to perform your evaluations, and we prioritize high quality evaluations, which means thorough assessments and accurate diagnosis. We understand the VA’s requirements, which means your evidence will be reported not only accurately, but also according to the VA rating guidelines. We focus on veteran comfort. We don’t rush assessments and we make sure that our psychologists understand and appreciate veterans. If appropriate, we provide guidance at the end of the evaluation to improve your quality of life. For us, It’s not just about the assessment.

​

Is a diagnosis guaranteed?

​

No, we make no guarantees that you will be given a mental health diagnosis. However, if a diagnosis is appropriate, our psychologists will capture the evidence needed and document the diagnosis according to the VA's rating guidelines. 

​

What should you bring to your video call?

​

Please bring a government issued photo ID with you and please let us know if you are not in your home state.

​

Are your evaluations conducted virtually?

​

Yes. All mental health evaluations are conducted virtually. You will receive a link in your calendar invitation and via email that you can use to join your video telehealth call. 

​

What states are your psychologists licensed in?

​

Our psychologists are licensed in AL, AZ, AR, CO, CNMI, CT, DE, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, ME, MD, MI, MN, MO, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WV, WI, and WY.

​

​