One of the (many) things that might discourage some from seeking the mental health evaluation and treatment they need is the perceived necessity of going to a doctor’s office. In reality, although house calls are not the norm, there are certain circumstances under which they’re still in use—even for a relatively urban practice like ours. Two specific instances that come to mind are custody evaluations for young children and evaluation and treatment for severe agoraphobia.
As though the dissolution of a relationship or marriage involving children wasn’t difficult enough, many individuals seeking full or partial custody of their children find themselves on the receiving end of court-ordered custody evaluations. With young children, this sensitive process is often conducted at the child’s home. Evaluating the child in his/her home alleviates some of the stress that might otherwise color the evaluation process, allowing us to make a more reliable assessment.
Agoraphobia sufferers also benefit from the stress-reducing aspect of in-home evaluation and treatment. For those struggling with severe agoraphobia, leaving the house can be prohibitively traumatic. Our ability to come to these individuals and offer the services needed without compounding the problem is consistent with our overall commitment to meeting each patient’s unique needs.
Since our foundational desire is to help the patients we work with, whether they find us on their own or through the court system, we strive to accommodate situations where office visits would be counterproductive. If you (or someone you love) have been putting off seeking the evaluation and/or treatment you believe is needed, we hope that these examples will encourage you to reach out to a mental health professional near you to see what your options are. House calls might be on the list.