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Helping a client with all those things is part of your job. But before you can begin-in fact, before that person walks through the door-you must prepare yourself. In many agencies part of your preparation will be reading some documentation on the client. That may be nothing more than a two-line summary of the problem the client has reported and a telephone number you can call to set up an appointment. On the other hand, if the case is being transferred to you, it may mean a huge file that includes a medical history, a psychiatric evaluation, a mental status exam, a biopsychosocial assessment by a previous clinician (or clinicians), that clinician’s progress notes, a report of psychological testing, a diagnostic code, and many other types of information. Whether it is one page or fifty, though, your response ought to be the same: What don’t I know that I need to know? Start making some written notes for yourself, beginning with those questions that you need to have answered before you call the client back to arrange an appointment. For instance, you may want further clarification of her current problem, if possible, so you can be sure she is coming to the right place. You may want to find out if anyone told her there is a fee charged. Or, if the case appears to involve more than one person, you may want to inquire about who should be included in the first interview. You should raise those questions with your supervisor or with the person who had the initial phone contact.
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