When you’re concerned that a mental illness has gone undiagnosed, you can recommend a mental health assessment of a parent or child.

You may request consultations with a parent’s or child’s mental health care provider.

Although a parent’s mental health care providers are ethically and legally required to maintain their client’s confidentiality, they may be willing—with their client’s permission—to talk to you about their perspective on the situation and any concerns you may have. Your CASA/ GAL volunteer supervisor will be able to answer your questions about gaining access to this confidential information.

When you encounter resistance to a label, diagnosis, or treatment, you can become aware of ethnic or cultural considerations. The standards for research and definitions of health, illness and treatment have historically derived from a white, middle-class perspective.

When appropriate, you can ensure that children are provided age-appropriate explanations of their own or their parent’s mental illness diagnosis by a qualified individual.

When appropriate, you can advocate for holistic treatment that considers all aspects of an individual, including mental, spiritual, emotional, and physical, as opposed to one-dimensional treatment.

You can create documentation of a parent’s or child’s mental health issues by reviewing history and case files, and listing all diagnoses, noting the year diagnosed and the medication prescribed, and recording the prescribing provider’s name.