The goal of a clinical evaluation is to provide diagnostic clarity for a student, their family, and the school-based team. The results of the clinical evaluation should be used to inform treatment planning and programming decisions.
At times an assessment of threat and safety are requested as part of the clinical evaluation. Although the terms Safety Assessment and Threat Assessment are often used interchangeably, a distinction may be made when Safety Assessments are used to determine if a student is a safety risk to themselves rather than to others. When this is the case, the clinical evaluation will include a direct assessment of suicidal ideation or intent.
The outcome of a clinical evaluation is a comprehensive report that includes diagnoses when applicable and extensive recommendations for level of care, placement, and intervention.