When you start therapy at Grow Therapy, you'll likely encounter a few different forms before and during your care — from intake questions your provider uses to personalize your treatment, to regular check-ins that track how you're feeling over time. This article explains what each form is, when to expect it, and what to do if you have questions along the way.
⚠️ Note: If you have questions or concerns about completing your forms, please speak with your provider. You can send your provider a secure message through your portal or discuss these forms during your session.
Key Points
Intake forms are completed once per provider and help them personalize your care plan.
Mental health check-ins include standardized questionnaires (like the PHQ-9 and GAD-7) delivered at set intervals to track your progress over time.
You can view available completed forms under Account → Forms in your client portal. Additional form types will be added over time.
Once a questionnaire is submitted, it can't be edited — contact our support team if you need a response removed.
You can request to opt out of measurement-based check-ins through your care preferences or by speaking with your provider.
Before you begin
When you book your appointment through the Grow Therapy Marketplace, you are required to acknowledge the following policies:
Consent to receive text messages and other communications from Grow Therapy about your account and Grow's services. Click here for more information on data privacy.
Acknowledged forms can be found under Account → Forms in your client portal.
The remainder of this guide covers intake forms and measures your provider may request. Unlike the policies above, these forms are personalized to your mental health provider.
Intake forms
Grow's intake forms gather biopsychosocial information for your provider to consider when developing a care strategy tailored to your experiences and needs. These questions may cover your reasons for seeking counseling, your expectations of the process, any family history of mental health or medical issues, your relationship history, your career status, and your family situation.
⚠️ Important: Intake forms help your provider prepare for your first session. If you haven't completed them before your appointment, send your provider a secure message ahead of time — they can let you know how to proceed.
Measurement-based forms
Mental health check-ins
Before or after your appointments, you may receive an email or text notification asking you to complete your mental health check-in. This check-in may include several questionnaires designed to gather information about your well-being. The specific forms you receive depend on your age and insurance plan — see the full list below.
Measurement-based forms defined
🌟 Note: The questionnaires you receive depend on your age and insurance plan. If your child receives outcome measures, notifications go to the parent or guardian's email and phone number on file — a parent or guardian should help them complete the forms.
Your mental health check-ins include questionnaires that help your therapist provide measurement-informed care (MIC). MIC is most effective when integrated into therapy, so you'll be encouraged to complete check-ins regularly. The exact frequency depends on your provider's schedule and your insurance plan. This process gives your therapist valuable insights and empowers you to actively participate in your treatment. Your therapist may send you the following questionnaires:
ASRS (The Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale)
ASRS (The Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale)
The ASRS is a tool developed by the World Health Organization and Harvard Medical School to screen for symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults aged 18 and older.
AUDIT-C (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test – Consumption)
AUDIT-C (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test – Consumption)
The AUDIT-C is a brief, three-question screening tool used to identify patterns of alcohol use that may be affecting your health. It is required for adults aged 18 and older on certain insurance plans.
CAGE-AID Substance Use (Adolescent)
CAGE-AID Substance Use (Adolescent)
This brief screening tool is designed to help identify potential alcohol and drug misuse in adolescents ages 10 to 17.
CAGE-AID Substance Use (Adult)
CAGE-AID Substance Use (Adult)
This four-question assessment is a helpful tool for screening substance dependence.
C-SSRS (Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale)
C-SSRS (Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale)
The C-SSRS is a standardized safety screening tool used to assess thoughts and behaviors related to suicide risk. It may be administered at intake, when your provider determines it’s clinically necessary, or in response to certain answers on other assessments. Either way, it's completed with your provider during a session — not sent as a standalone form to fill out on your own.
Child C-SSRS (Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale – Pediatric Version)
Child C-SSRS (Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale – Pediatric Version)
The Pediatric C-SSRS is a standardized safety screening tool used to assess thoughts and behaviors related to suicide risk in children ages 8 to 11. Like the adult version, it's completed with your provider during a session rather than sent as a standalone form, and it may also be prompted by responses to other assessments. When and how often it’s used may vary based on your insurance requirements and your provider’s clinical judgment.
GAD-7 (General Anxiety Disorder-7)
GAD-7 (General Anxiety Disorder-7)
This self-administered anxiety questionnaire assesses and evaluates your health status over the previous two weeks. Grow Therapy requests this measure after each session.
PHQ-9 (Patient Health Questionnaire-9)
PHQ-9 (Patient Health Questionnaire-9)
This self-administered questionnaire is used to screen, diagnose, monitor, and measure the severity of depression symptoms. Grow Therapy requests this measure after each session.
PROMIS – Pediatric Anger (PROMIS Pediatric Anger – Short Form 5a)
PROMIS – Pediatric Anger (PROMIS Pediatric Anger – Short Form 5a)
This questionnaire measures anger and irritability in children ages 8 to 11. It is part of the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS), a set of standardized tools developed by the National Institutes of Health. Results are reported as a T-score. See "How are results calculated?" below for more on what T-scores mean.
PROMIS – Pediatric Anxiety (PROMIS Pediatric Anxiety – Short Form 8a)
PROMIS – Pediatric Anxiety (PROMIS Pediatric Anxiety – Short Form 8a)
This questionnaire measures anxiety symptoms in children ages 8 to 11. Like other PROMIS measures, results are reported as a T-score.
PROMIS – Pediatric Depression (PROMIS Pediatric Depressive Symptoms – Short Form 8a)
PROMIS – Pediatric Depression (PROMIS Pediatric Depressive Symptoms – Short Form 8a)
This questionnaire measures depressive symptoms in children ages 8 to 11. Results are reported as a T-score.
QOL (Quality of Life)
QOL (Quality of Life)
The Quality of Life questionnaire was developed from various measures assessing a person's daily functioning and well-being.
S2BI (Screening to Brief Intervention)
S2BI (Screening to Brief Intervention)
The S2BI is a validated substance use screening tool for adolescents ages 12 to 17. It is sent once at intake and helps your provider understand any substance use patterns that may be relevant to your care.
TA (Therapeutic Alliance)
TA (Therapeutic Alliance)
This questionnaire was adapted from the Scale to Assess Therapeutic Relationships (STAR) and the Brief Revised Working Alliance Inventory (BR-WAI), standardized measures that evaluate the quality of a client's relationship with their therapist.
WHO-5 (The World Health Organization-Five Well-Being Index)
WHO-5 (The World Health Organization-Five Well-Being Index)
The WHO-5 is a self-report tool designed to measure well-being.
Review scores and results
While you complete an intake form once for each provider requesting one, your mental health check-ins, or measurement-based forms, are sent at set intervals, following your insurer's or provider's preferred schedule.
How are results calculated?
Responses to each measurement-based questionnaire are evaluated to help your provider understand your progress. Most measures are scored on a point scale and summed to produce a total score. Expand the options below to see how each one works.
Alcohol use
Alcohol use
Alcohol use scores are calculated using your answers from the Audit-C (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test – Consumption) questionnaire. Each of the three questions is scored 0–4 points, for a total possible score of 0–12. A score of 3 or higher for women, or 4 or higher for men, is considered a positive screen for hazardous drinking and may prompt a follow-up conversation with your provider.
Anxiety
Anxiety
Anxiety scores are calculated using your answers from the GAD-7 questionnaire and are scored with the following point system:
Depression
Depression
Depression scores are calculated using your answers from the PHQ-9 questionnaire and are scored using the following point system:
PROMIS measures (T-scores)
PROMIS measures (T-scores)
PROMIS measures — used for pediatric depression, anxiety, and anger — use a different scoring system than PHQ-9 and GAD-7. Instead of a raw summed score, responses are converted to a T-score, which compares your results to the general population:
A T-score of 50 represents the population average
Scores above 50 indicate more symptoms than average
A score of 65 or higher is considered clinically elevated
T-scores are not comparable to PHQ-9 or GAD-7 scores — a PROMIS score of 15 does not mean the same thing as a PHQ-9 score of 15. Your provider can help you understand what your results mean in the context of your care.
Quality of life
Quality of life
This questionnaire has been adapted from various quality of life (QOL) measures that assess how well a person functions in their daily life. The results are measured with the following point system:
Substance use
Substance use
CAGE-AID scores are calculated using four yes/no questions about alcohol and drug use. Each "yes" response is worth 1 point, for a total possible score of 0–4. A score of 2 or higher is considered clinically significant and may warrant further assessment or a conversation with your provider.
The S2BI (Screening to Brief Intervention) questionnaire screens for substance use frequency using a single question per substance. Responses are scored on a four-level scale: Never, Once or twice, Monthly, or Weekly or more. Higher-frequency responses indicate a greater level of risk and may prompt your provider to offer a brief intervention or a referral to additional support.
Therapeutic relationship
Therapeutic relationship
This questionnaire was adapted from the Scale To Assess Therapeutic Relationships (STAR) and Brief Revised Working Alliance Inventory (BR-WAI) measures, standardized questionnaires that evaluate the relationship quality between a client and their provider. The results are measured with the following point system:
How do I track my progress?
As you begin completing measures, you’ll be able to track your progress over time. Some measures may not appear right away, but more will become available as they’re added. Click here to learn more about viewing your questionnaire scores in your Client Portal.
Can I opt out of completing these measures?
Talk to your provider about opting out of measures. While it's not recommended, we understand that your care journey is unique to you. Depending on your insurance provider, you can request to opt out directly in your settings by navigating to Account > Settings tab > Care Preferences.
Additional forms
Each provider on Grow Therapy manages their own private practice. Your provider may request that you fill out additional forms. This process can differ by provider, and any additional forms will be sent to you directly by the provider.
Data usage
The information in your intake forms allows your selected provider to ensure they match your needs. If a provider decides they aren't a good fit, they may refer you to a different provider with different experience or specializations.
⚠️ Note: Even if a provider's qualifications meet your needs, you might still feel like it's not a good fit. You can ask your provider for a referral if this is the case. A reasonable provider wants to ensure you get the care you need, so don't be afraid to ask questions and find the right fit.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if I don't complete my intake forms before my first session? Intake forms help your provider prepare for your first session, so it's important to complete them as soon as you receive the email link. If you haven't finished in time, send your provider a secure message before your appointment — they can advise you on how to proceed.
Can I change or delete my answers after submitting? Once a questionnaire is submitted, you can't edit your responses directly in the portal. If you need a response corrected or removed, contact our support team, and we can assist you.
Do I need to complete a new intake form if I start seeing a new provider? Yes. Intake forms are specific to each provider, so you'll complete a new one for each provider you work with on Grow Therapy. All previously submitted forms remain available to view under Account → Forms in your portal.
Why am I receiving more questionnaires than before? Your insurance plan, provider, or Grow Therapy may require specific outcome measures based on your age and the type of appointment you're attending. These are evidence-based tools your provider uses to get a more complete picture of your well-being — they're standard across many insurance networks and aren't unique to Grow Therapy.
Who should I contact if I have questions about my forms? For questions about the content of your form, like why a specific question is included, reach out to your provider directly via secure message. For technical issues accessing or submitting your forms, contact our support team through the chat widget in your portal.