What is comprehensive psychological assessment and how does it help?
Psychological assessment is a process by which I collaborate with a child, their caregivers, therapy providers, and/or school staff to provide answers to specific questions that they may have about the child and identify a child's unique strengths and challenges. Through comprehensive collaborative assessment, I seek to empower caregivers to deepen their understanding of their child and identify support needed at home and in school.
Through tests of cognitive functioning, academic achievement, executive functioning, and socioemotional functioning, comprehensive collaborative assessment helps me to identify or rule out disorders such as ADHD, Autism, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, behavioral, emotional, and learning disorders, intellectual disability, and intellectual giftedness.
How does testing work and how long does it take?
Most assessments require 4-6 testing sessions that occur in 2-hour blocks. I conduct interviews, and engage in behavioral observations, classroom observations, and administration of objective, projective, neuropsychological, cognitive, and achievement tests. At the culmination of the testing, I provide a written report and discuss key recommendations to support the child’s continued healthy growth and development at home and school. In meetings with caregivers, we discuss the findings and collaborate to understand the child. The report can be shared with a child's treatment providers and school, if the caregivers desire it. I can also provide a feedback story or letter written to the child or adolescent, explaining the results of testing in a developmentally appropriate language.
Finally, I also engage in advocacy on behalf of the child in the school system, if a family would like this form of support. The assessment process is collaborative and comprehensive.
Do you conduct Independent Education Evaluations (IEE's)? How do they work?
I do provide Independent Education Evaluations (IEE). An IEE is a private evaluation of your child or adolescent's functioning can help you obtain necessary supports at school. It is possible that the school district could reimburse you for this service. You can find out more about what an IEE is here.
Do you accept insurance for testing?
It is rare for an insurance company to cover psychological assessment, however, if yours does, I can provide you with a receipt that you can submit to your insurance company for reimbursement. The fee for the assessment includes administration of measures, meetings with the child and relevant supporters, scoring administered measures, and the writing of the report(s). Assessments typically require 20-25 hours of work.