+ What is the process of assessment?

The assessment process begins with a 90-minute intake interview and consultation billed at $200. This is where we review the assessment questions and gather background history. Should you wish to proceed with the evaluation, we will schedule your testing session and the consultation fee will be applied to the total cost of your assessment.

The actual testing will take place in 1-2 sessions lasting about 2-4 hours each. Parents, teachers, and significant others will also be asked to complete questionnaires and share their input. In some cases, home or school observations are also necessary. After data are gathered, results and recommendations will be presented in a written report and a 60-minute feedback session.

+ Could I just get an assessment through my child's school?

Certainly, and if your child needs special education services, the school will want to do their own evaluation in most cases. School evaluations are free of charge, but they may take a long time to initiate and educational necessity is the driving force in determining whether your child will be tested or not.

In some cases, families prefer to obtain a private evaluation because it is quicker, may include relevant DSM-V diagnoses, and can be done even if the child doesn't meet "educational necessity" by school standards. Private evaluations provide second opinions to school testing, and results are confidential, giving parents discretion over how results are shared. Some schools may choose to accept our report and recommendations in lieu of conducting their own assessment.

+ How do I know if I/my child needs an assessment?

Common reasons for assessment include:

• Your child is struggling academically and classroom interventions aren't helping.
• You believe there is an underlying attention problem to behavior or academic concerns.
• Your psychiatrist requires an ADHD eval for medication purposes.
• You've been in therapy for awhile and aren't making as much progress as expected.
• Your teen is taking the SAT/ACT and may benefit from testing accommodations.
• You're struggling academically in college and would like accommodations through students with disability services.

+ Are there types of assessments or referral concerns that you don't work with?

We do not do assessments for forensic purposes such as child custody cases, personal injury liability, or adult court-ordered psych evaluations. Currently, we do not have the capacity to do early-childhood (ages 0-4) or autism evaluations.

+ How do I know that you're the right psychologist to do my testing?

Assessments with us are fully conducted by a licensed psychologist or postdoctoral resident. We do not employ graduate students or psychometricians, thus you may be confident that a psychologist will complete your full evaluation.

Our testing psychologists and postdoc have completed predoctoral internships and have first-hand experience with the IEP, 504, and SSD processes. We've conducted many evaluations for school districts and are familiar with what schools are looking for.

+ How long will it take?

The testing process takes up to 10 hours of face-to-face time. This includes a 1.5 hour initial intake, 3-6 hours of testing, and 1 hour feedback session. Another 10 hours are spent behind the scenes by your psychologist as they prepare materials, score data, and compile a comprehensive report.

+ How do I prepare my child/teen for their testing day(s)?

We will make every effort to schedule your testing during the time of day that the client is most alert. For most children, this is first thing in the morning. Before your testing, get a full night's rest, eat a good breakfast, stay hydrated, and do something relaxing the morning of or night before. There is no need to study or review testing instruments prior to your testing, and doing so may in fact compromise the validity of test results. The testing process is mentally taxing and it is recommended that your child takes it easy for the rest of the day.

+ How much will this cost?

Assessments vary in price depending on referral questions, duration of testing, and test measures to be completed. The majority of testing packages range from $1000 - $3000.

+ Will my insurance cover this?

This depends on your insurance coverage. Many require pre-authorization for testing. If your insurance deems the testing to be necessary, they will often cover a portion of your total testing costs. We can provide a receipt of services with appropriate billing codes for you to submit for reimbursement. Unfortunately, we are not able to bill insurance directly or coordinate benefits/pre-auth with insurance.

+ I have more questions, can I talk to someone?

Absolutely! A psychological assessment is a big investment of time and money. We want to make sure you are informed, comfortable, and confident in choosing us for your evaluation. Please contact us and we'll be happy to answer any questions.