It can be difficult to know what exactly your child needs! Factors that impact an evaluation recommendation include whether your child has prior testing, whether they’re currently in any treatment, and what you’re hoping to get out of the assessment (e.g. accommodations for school or standardized testing, therapy recommendations, diagnostic clarification). The right assessment is customized to you to help answer the question(s) you have. At our consultation call, I’ll make a preliminary recommendation. After the intake interview, we will confirm the scope of evaluation.
Targeted ADHD evaluations are interview and questionnaire based evaluations that assess only for ADHD; they do not require any cognitive testing and can be done entirely virtually. These evaluations include a written report with accommodation recommendations. They are best for individuals who primarily want to know: Do I (or my child) have ADHD?
Comprehensive evaluations typically are trying to answer more complex questions around multiple potential diagnoses, such as ADHD, learning disabilities, and/or mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, or OCD. Comprehensive evaluations typically include in-person cognitive testing in addition to interviews and questionnaire assessments. They are best for individuals who have concerns about cognitive or learning problems, have prior mental health diagnoses, have a complex medical or psychological history, or have multiple areas of concern.
Yes! This is a common request for teens and college students. Typically schools and testing companies need to see a completely updated evaluation to continue accommodations, so we will likely repeat prior tests/assessments to provide current diagnoses and accommodation recommendations.
Great question!
Evaluations typically start with an intake appointment. Intake appointments may be parent-only for younger children but I encourage teens and young adults to attend their intake appointments whenever possible. At the intake, we discuss your concerns as well as your goals for the evaluation. At the end of the intake appointment, we’ll confirm the scope of recommended testing, confirm the costs and timeline, and get any in-person testing appointments scheduled.
The next step is the testing itself. Testing takes place in my office. Testing times vary from as little as 1 hour (IQ tests only) to 6+ hours (IQ + cognitive + additional tests), depending on the questions you want answered. Testing can be completed across 2 or more sessions.
Note: ADHD-only evaluations do not require any in-person testing.
Typically, parents (and teachers where appropriate) will also be expected to complete questionnaires to supplement my testing with the child.
Following the completion of all testing and questionnaires, a feedback session is then scheduled to discuss the results of the evaluation and any appropriate recommendations. A complete diagnostic report will also be provided at the time of the feedback session. Written reports are typically available 2 weeks after all testing & questionnaires have been completed.
The entire process, from start to finish, typically takes about 3-6 weeks, depending on scheduling.
I use flat rate billing by type of evaluation, not hourly billing. I believe this creates greater transparency as to total cost, guarantees you get your questions answered, and ensures that you can make informed decisions up front about testing. Please see here for current rates: Fees
Total evaluation time varies by the assessment question. Please see the table below for estimates of time spent in various aspects of evaluation (intake interview, assessments, in-person testing, and feedback). Most of these activities can be done virtually; testing is the only evaluation component that requires an in-person appointment.
I offer free consultations to answer questions and make initial recommendations. Schedule here.
I do not currently accept any insurance. I am happy to provide you with a superbill that you can submit for potential reimbursement. I also accept HSA cards as payment.