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Psychiatric and psychological evaluation for adults 18 and older, conducted by licensed clinicians using DSM-5-TR-aligned assessment instruments.
Mental health assessment at Villa Healing Center is a clinical evaluation for adults 18 and older in Woodland Hills, California, conducted by licensed clinicians using diagnostic criteria from the DSM-5-TR published by the American Psychiatric Association. The assessment produces a clinical diagnosis, level-of-care recommendation, and treatment plan. Most commercial insurance covers the evaluation. Call (888) 669-0661.
A mental health assessment is a structured clinical evaluation that produces a diagnosis and treatment recommendation. The evaluation combines a clinical interview, standardized screening instruments, mental status examination, and review of personal and family medical history. The methodology aligns with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-5-TR) published by the American Psychiatric Association in 2022, and where applicable references the International Classification of Diseases, 11th Revision (ICD-11) published by the World Health Organization.
Psychiatric assessment and psychological assessment refer to overlapping components of the same evaluation. Psychiatric assessment typically refers to the medical evaluation conducted by a physician or psychiatric medication prescriber, including consideration of medication and physical-health contributors. Psychological assessment refers to the structured testing and behavioral evaluation conducted by a licensed psychologist or clinical therapist. A complete mental health assessment includes both.
Adults consider a mental health assessment when symptoms have persisted for weeks or longer and are affecting daily functioning. Common reasons to seek a clinical assessment include ongoing low mood, persistent anxiety, sleep disturbance, difficulty concentrating, withdrawal from previously meaningful activities, or significant changes in appetite or energy. If you are experiencing thoughts of self-harm or suicide, call or text 988 immediately rather than waiting for an assessment appointment. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is free, confidential, and available 24/7.
Our mental health assessment for adults 18 and older follows a structured four-step process: clinical interview, standardized screening battery, mental status examination, and synthesis into a clinical diagnosis and treatment plan. The full evaluation typically completes in a single 60- to 120-minute session, with longer evaluations scheduled when complex presentations or psychological testing are indicated.
The clinical interview is a structured conversation conducted by a licensed clinician. The format is based on the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 (SCID-5), the diagnostic interview developed for the DSM-5-TR by First, Williams, Karg, and Spitzer. The interview covers presenting concerns, history of current symptoms, prior treatment, family mental health history, medical history, current medications, substance use, and psychosocial functioning. Level-of-care recommendations follow two complementary frameworks: the LOCUS Level of Care Utilization System developed by the American Association of Community Psychiatrists for the mental health side, and the ASAM Criteria for the substance use side if indicated.
The screening battery uses validated instruments matched to presenting symptoms. The Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) screens for depression. The Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 (GAD-7) screens for anxiety. The PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) screens for trauma-related symptoms. The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and the Drug Abuse Screening Test 10 (DAST-10) screen for substance use. The Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) screens for suicide risk and is administered when risk indicators are present in the interview.
All assessment records are protected under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), and assessment that includes substance use screening also receives additional federal confidentiality protection under 42 CFR Part 2. Villa Healing Center does not disclose assessment results to employers, family members, or third parties without your written consent, except in narrow legally mandated exceptions involving imminent harm to self or others.
Online self-screening tools and clinical assessment serve different purposes. Screening tools can flag whether further evaluation is warranted, but they cannot produce a clinical diagnosis or treatment plan.
If emotional or psychological challenges are affecting your life, a professional assessment can bring clarity and direction. The process is designed to be both comprehensive and comfortable.
Core components may include:
Dimension | Online Screening | Clinical Assessment |
Purpose | Initial symptom screening; signal that professional evaluation may be warranted | Clinical diagnosis, treatment plan, level-of-care recommendation |
Who conducts it | Self-administered; no clinician involvement | Licensed psychiatric or psychological clinician with DSM-5-TR training |
Methodology | Single standardized questionnaire (e.g., PHQ-9 for depression, GAD-7 for anxiety) | Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 (SCID-5) combined with PHQ-9, GAD-7, PCL-5, AUDIT, DAST-10, and additional instruments matched to presenting symptoms |
Output | Symptom severity score; suggestion to consider professional evaluation | Clinical diagnosis using DSM-5-TR codes; treatment plan; insurance documentation |
Insurance documentation | Not billable, not part of medical record | Billable under CPT 90791 (psychiatric diagnostic evaluation) or 90792 (with medical assessment); becomes part of medical record |
Time required | 5-15 minutes | 60-120 minutes for the structured interview; additional time for testing if indicated |
Suicide risk assessment | Not standardized; varies by tool | Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) administered when indicated; safety planning when risk is identified |
Online screening is useful as a first step. The PHQ-9 and GAD-7 questionnaires are themselves used in clinical assessment because they are validated and reliable. What changes in a clinical assessment is the integration: a clinician combines screening results with structured interview, history, and additional testing to produce a diagnosis and treatment plan. If an online screening tool has suggested you consider professional evaluation, a clinical assessment is the next step.
Assessments at Villa Healing Center are conducted by licensed mental health clinicians, with psychiatric medical components reviewed by a psychiatric medication prescriber.
The clinical interview and screening battery are typically conducted by a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW), licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT), or licensed psychologist (PsyD or PhD), each with DSM-5-TR training and experience in adult mental health evaluation. All clinicians hold active California licensure with the Board of Behavioral Sciences or the Board of Psychology.
The psychiatric medication review, when indicated by the screening or interview findings, is conducted by a psychiatric medication prescriber. Medication recommendations follow guidelines from the American Psychiatric Association and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), which is part of the National Institutes of Health.
The assessment is clinically reviewed by Dr. Courtney Scott, MD, Medical Director at Villa Healing Center, with board eligibility in Emergency Medicine, Internal Medicine, and Addiction Medicine.
A mental health assessment can identify any of the diagnostic categories covered in the DSM-5-TR. The most common conditions identified in adult mental-health-primary assessments include the following. Each links to a dedicated clinical page describing how Villa Healing Center treats that condition if it is identified.
If the screening identifies primary substance use disorder where mental health is secondary, our sister-brand facility handles that admission with direct referral and coordinated records transfer. If the assessment identifies a condition or population outside Villa’s scope, our clinical team provides referrals to the appropriate setting. The SAMHSA national treatment locator at findtreatment.gov is the federal directory for state-licensed treatment programs nationwide, including a behavioral-health-condition filter.
Most commercial insurance plans cover mental health assessment as a billable psychiatric or psychological evaluation. The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) requires commercial insurance plans that cover mental health benefits to provide coverage at parity with medical and surgical benefits, which includes diagnostic evaluation.
Assessment is typically billed under CPT code 90791 (psychiatric diagnostic evaluation) or 90792 (psychiatric diagnostic evaluation with medical services). Out-of-pocket cost depends on your plan deductible and coinsurance. If assessment leads directly into Villa’s residential or outpatient program, the billing may be bundled into the program admission rather than a separate evaluation charge.
If your plan is out-of-network or you are paying out-of-pocket, we discuss rates and payment options during the verification process. Call (888) 669-0661 to discuss.
Villa Healing Center’s facility is located at 23033 Ostronic Drive, Woodland Hills, California 91367, in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles County.
Adults across Los Angeles County experience mental health symptoms at rates consistent with national prevalence estimates. SAMHSA’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) consistently reports that approximately one in five adults in the United States experiences a mental health condition in any given year. Treatment access in Los Angeles County remains constrained, and many adults with diagnosable conditions never receive a clinical evaluation. A mental health assessment is the entry point to changing that.
Our facility sits in Woodland Hills, accessible from the 101 and 405 Freeways. We serve adults from across Woodland Hills, Tarzana, Encino, Calabasas, West Hills, Canoga Park, and Agoura Hills, and coordinate assessment appointments from across California. Adults from across Los Angeles County, Ventura County, Orange County, and the broader Southern California region travel to our Woodland Hills facility for clinical assessment and follow-on treatment.
Clinically reviewed by Dr. Courtney Scott, MD, Medical Director at Villa Healing Center. Board eligibility: Emergency Medicine, Internal Medicine, Addiction Medicine. LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/uscmd05.
Read more about our team
Assessment appointments are available for adults 18 and older. Call (888) 669-0661 to speak with a clinical intake coordinator, or verify your benefits to begin. The full evaluation typically completes in a single 60- to 120-minute session, with diagnostic findings and treatment recommendation delivered at the end of the visit.
