Psychological Assessment
Psychological or psychoeducational assessments are a process in which a graduate clinician collects information about your strengths and weaknesses using different methods and sources. These assessments vary depending on the reason for referral.
Some people want an assessment to determine whether they have a learning disability, ADHD, or another issue affecting their school or work performance. The results can help them determine if they may be eligible for accommodations. Other people may want an assessment of their personality and coping style, as that information will assist them in better understanding themselves and/or in treatment planning with their clinicians. Still other people may be interested in understanding why they are experiencing difficulties associated with an accident (e.g., traumatic brain injury), memory loss, or other neuropsychological difficulties.
Children and adolescents experience several challenges as they develop and may have symptoms that warrant an assessment.
Psychological evaluations for diagnostic purposes help to determine appropriate courses of treatment. Clinicians use state-of-the-art assessment tools to conduct comprehensive psychological evaluations for various issues, including ADHD, conduct issues, autism, reactions to trauma, and behavior problems.
Psycho-educational assessments evaluate children referred for a learning disability or attention issues (e.g., ADHD). These assessments include empirically-supported cognitive testing (i.e., measuring the child’s intelligence) and academic achievement tests.
Other assessments may include Academically Gifted Evaluations (IQ testing) and Early Kindergarten Entry testing.
Details of the Assessment Process
If you (your child) are coming to the CPC for a psychological assessment or evaluation, you (your child) will first attend an intake appointment.
During the intake interview the clinician asks about your (your child’s) reasons for seeking an evaluation, describes the assessment process, and answers any questions you (your child) have. If you choose to continue, the clinician will then gather background information about you or your child (e.g., developmental, educational, clinical, and life history).
After the intake interview, the clinician will meet with you (your child) across a set of sessions in order to administer tests or questionnaires. Depending on the purpose of the evaluation, the tests may assess cognitive abilities, academic achievement, memory, attention, emotional well-being, or personality. The number of tests and the length of the evaluation will depend on the reason for referral.
Finally, the clinician will examine all gathered data and write a comprehensive report which integrates information from all sources. This report will be yours to keep and will summarize the results of the assessments.
Assessment Fees
The cost of the intake appointment is $7.00.
If you (your child) decide to pursue the evaluation, you will pay a $50.00 deposit at the end of your initial appointment. The balance of fees is due when the final report is ready and the clinician shares their findings. The total cost of the evaluation will range from $200.00 - $400.00, depending on how many instruments are necessary to address the presenting concern(s)/referral question(s).
Working with Third Party Agencies
It is important to note that if a psychological assessment or evaluation is conducted and a diagnosis provided, there is still no guarantee that you (your child) will be eligible to receive accommodations or services. A report is provided to you to keep, and it is the external agency (e.g., Disability Services for Students, Montana Disability Determination Services, school district multidisciplinary IEP team, etc.) that determines whether you (your child) are eligible for disability or accommodations.