Where to Start
What Are My First Steps to Getting Help?
1 out of 5 children experience a mental health challenge in a given year. The good news is YOU can make a difference in a child’s life by getting help early.
STEP 1: Note Your Concerns
Every child needs to be nurtured from the inside out to develop the socio-emotional, physical and cognitive skills needed to be successful in learning and in life. View some example concerns parents or caregivers might notice on the When Do I Seek Help? website. Children are more likely to overcome behavioral health challenges with their parent’s or caregiver’s support and a commitment to finding the right services. If you have questions or concerns about your child's behavior and well-being, take those concerns seriously and reach out for support. You know your child best!
STEP 2: Seek Support
Talk with your child’s doctor, counselor, family, teacher, family support staff, early intervention specialist, or healthcare provider. If you are in need of behavioral health services for a child, but are not in crisis, the services available depend on the type of healthcare coverage you have.
- If you have private insurance, you can look on the back of your insurance card to locate the direct number to call to find the right provider in your network.
- If you have Apple Health (Medicaid) through the Washington Health Plan Finder (Molina, Amerigroup, Community Health Plan of WA, Coordinated Care or UnitedHealth) you can call your health insurance directly and ask the care coordinator to assist you in setting up a psychological evaluation and therapy appointments.
- If you purchased health insurance through the Washington Benefit Exchange and experience any difficulty accessing your mental health benefit, contact your insurance company directly.
- No Insurance: Call the Help Me Grow WA Hotline at 1-800-322-2588 or access the Help Me Grow WA Resource Finder. Many therapists and community health centers offer services on a sliding scale.
- Find Behavioral Health Resources for Children and Teens in English, Spanish and Vietnamese.
- Reach out to the Youth Navigator Program for assistance in navigating assessment and services.
STEP 3: Screen or Assess Your Child
Parent Support Resources provide answers to questions and guidance to parents who have concerns about their child’s health and development. These services can help you connect with assessment services and community resources that will help you better care for your child. Your community is there for you, whatever your challenge!
Child Assessment might be needed to determine how to best your support your child. These assessments help to identify your child’s unique needs and will guide care recommendations so your child can access whatever they need to thrive.
Snohomish County offers eligible families access to Early Support for Infants and Toddlers which provides early intervention and support services to children with developmental delays and disabilities. These services can be provided in homes, childcare settings, preschools, schools and communities.
How do I find free developmental screenings for my child?
Contact HelpMeGrowWA.org for free developmental screenings.
STEP 4: Access Services
To access community behavioral health services, you have a few options:
- Services and Treatment Options: Your child might be eligible for services that will help address any challenges or developmental needs they face. Trained professionals can provide these services:
- In your home
- In community clinics
- In classrooms
- You can contact your local Community Behavioral Health Providers--Sea Mar, Tulalip, Compass Health, Center for Human Services or Catholic Community Services--for an appointment.
- Sea Mar Behavioral Health: 425-609-5505
- Tulalip Behavioral Health: 360-716-4400
- Compass Health: 840-822-7609
- Center for Human Services: 206-362-7282
- Catholic Community Services: 425-258-5270
- You can also call 1-800-584-3578 and request the Child, Youth and Family Crisis Team. You will talk with a professional and they will help determine what your child’s needs are and help set up a mental health assessment and appointment for your child. If you need an expedited appointment, tell them why there is urgency and they should help you set that up. Be specific about the presenting need and share the symptoms that your child is experiencing. This will help determine whether or not your child qualifies for services. (Often times the clinician doing the assessment is not the clinician your child will be seeing).
- Anyone can call the VOA Crisis Response Services at 988. This service is 24/7 and free. They can connect you to a mental health provider and may also have your child evaluated in their home.
What questions should I ask a provider?
Before you visit your provider, it is helpful to write down some questions that you want to ask:
- Do you involve parents (or guardians) in the counseling process?
- Do you provide family therapy? How do you decide if this is needed?
- What criteria do you use to determine whether or not a child needs medication? To whom do you refer for this type of assessment?
- If my child needs special accommodations at school, do you assist in making these arrangements?
- How flexible is your appointment schedule? Do you offer after school/ evening/Saturday appointments?
- If you or I decide that you and my child might not work well together, will you be able to suggest other referrals?
- What is your training and experience working with Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health, as well as working with families from diverse backgrounds?
- My child has been having some problems in the following areas... (Provide examples of the behaviors that concern you).
STEP 5: Find Your Community
You are not alone in the journey of caring for a child with behavioral health challenges. There are communities of support available to you, with people who know what you are going through and will encourage you along the way.
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Sno-Isle
Snohomish County Support Groups