2 Hour Intake?

[Deleted]

So, I have an appointment Friday morning for an intake appointment with a new program. Their intake appointment is with an LCSW and is TWO HOURS LONG! What can they possibly want to know for two hours?! I've never had an intake appointment with an LCSW before and I've never had an intake last more than 20-30 minutes. So I have no idea what's going on. The paperwork they sent me in the mail is pretty much useless. It says my appointment is Thursday, September 11th (uh huh. sure it is.) and they sent me directions on how to drive there and nothing about how to get there via bus after I specifically told them I would be taking the bus. So I'm already skeptical of how much I'm going to like this place and how competent they actually are. Why not send the new patient paperwork? Apparently it's going to take me 45 minutes to fill that out (based on my needing to be there 45 min early for said paperwork), wouldn't it make more sense to send it out ahead of time?

From looking on their website that looks like it hasn't been updated since the late 90's, it seems they are more of an addiction treatment facility than a mental health treatment facility (yes, I know the two are connected). I don't know. I need a psychiatrist at the very least and maybe also a therapist. I hate having to find a new therapist. It's always such a pain trying to find someone to fit my personality. I just want someone to keep prescribing me exactly what I've got now. I don't want someone that's going to decide that I don't really have xyz wrong with me and I'm on the wrong meds and blah blah blah. I've finally found a combination that works and I really don't have the energy to fight for it. Ugh. TWO HOURS! It's making me want to cancel and find somewhere else, but I only have one refill left and there aren't many options. 

Anyways, has anyone been through something like this? An intake that lasts this long? What should I expect? Should I go in with all the questions I planned to ask the psychiatrist? I've been to a dozen intake appointments and I still feel like I've no idea what to expect from this since it's scheduled to be so long. What could they possibly want to know?!

I guess this is more of a rant than anything else, but all advice is still very much welcome! Sorry for rambling so much. 

[Deleted]

An intake can definitely take up to two hours depending on how thorough of a history they are looking for. However, they may also just block out large windows of time as a preventative measure to ensure that they don't go over into the next scheduled time slot.


ETA: Since they have you booked for the time period, I would definitely go in with any questions you want to ask. If they aren't willing to answer your questions during intake I wouldn't schedule a follow up.

[tjr42px]

90 mins is pretty standard for an intake. 20-30 for psychiatry and 90 for therapy. At least that's what insurance earmarks for an intake. 2 hours may include the typical 30 mins to do the paperwork. I agree they should mail it, but it's rare people actually fill it out and bring it in. That being said...in 90 mins your therapist should be able to do a through history related to your specific concerns, you have time to ask questions, a good therapist will give you quick concise synopsis of their conceptualization so they know if they are hearing you correctly AND give you an idea of treatment with your input. You should never leave an intake without an idea of where you are going and something to work on until your first follow up. I hate. hate to hear people who wait 2-4 weeks for an intake, then spend 90 mins telling their story only to be scheduled for a follow up 2-4 weeks latter. That a month without actually supporting someone.

That bit about the bus is frustrating. I hope your appointment goes well and you like your provider. There are multiple parts to a practice. It should all be great though often isn't, but if your therapist is great the occasional asshat who schedules your appointments is a little more tolerable.

Best of luck!

[tjr42px]

@led. How did the intake go? I hope you clicked with your therapist. Granted it's just one intake session...hopefully you think you might click.

[Deleted]

Sept 13, 2015 15:08:44 GMT -5 tjr42px said:

@led. How did the intake go? I hope you clicked with your therapist. Granted it's just one intake session...hopefully you think you might click.

The intake was done by the intake therapist, not the therapist I'll be seeing. It was just a bunch of questions and only took about 30 minutes. Apparently the block off 2 hours because some people take longer (like families). My appointment with my new therapist will be on the 24th. So hopefully I'll get along with her then.