Diagnostic Evaluations
For Ages 5 - 18
Overview
A diagnostic evaluation is designed to help individuals and families better understand the nature of emotional, behavioral, and psychological concerns—and what approaches are most likely to help.
A thorough diagnostic evaluation does not always require extensive neuropsychological or educational testing. In many cases, careful clinical interviewing, developmental and psychiatric history, and validated rating scales provide the information needed to reach meaningful diagnostic conclusions and guide effective treatment, without unnecessary time, cost, or burden.
This focused approach helps answer practical questions such as:
Does my child or teen meet criteria for a specific condition?
Are anxiety, depression, OCD, ADHD, or trauma responses contributing to current difficulties?
What diagnosis, or combination of diagnoses, best explains what I'm seeing?
What treatments, supports, or next steps are most appropriate?
Determining the Right Fit
A brief consultation is always completed before scheduling an evaluation. During this conversation, we will discuss your concerns and determine whether a diagnostic evaluation is the most appropriate approach for your child.
This evaluation may not be the right fit if:
You want to understand the full neuropsychological profile of your child
You are specifically pursuing comprehensive autism diagnostic testing
You need academic or learning disability testing
While this evaluation does include screening for autism-related concerns, it does not include comprehensive autism diagnostic assessment. If screening results suggest the need for further evaluation, I will discuss recommendations for follow-up testing with appropriate providers.
What's Included
A diagnostic evaluation typically includes:
Clinical interviewing with parents and the child to understand developmental history, current concerns, and functioning across home and school settings
Standardized questionnaires completed by the individual, parents, and/or teachers, assessing a broad range of emotional and behavioral symptoms relevant to the presenting concerns
Review of relevant records provided by the family (such as school reports or prior evaluations, when available)
School consultation when clinically indicated, which may include a teacher interview or brief observation
A concise written report summarizing findings, diagnostic impressions, and recommendations
A feedback session with parents to review results, answer questions, and discuss next steps
Fees & Logistics
Fees: The fee for a diagnostic evaluation is based on my hourly rate ($200), typically ranging from $600–$1,000, depending on the evaluation question and level of school involvement.
Insurance: I am in-network with Excellus BCBS. If you have a different insurance plan and wish to seek potential out-of-network reimbursement, I am able to offer a detailed receipt (superbill) for submission.
Payment: For families using private pay, payment is divided into two parts. Half of the total evaluation fee is due at the start of the evaluation, with the remaining balance due at the time of the feedback session.
Scheduling & Timeline: After an initial consultation to determine fit, evaluation appointments are scheduled based on availability. My goal is to schedule evaluations in a timely manner and offer the earliest available openings whenever possible. Once all evaluation components are completed, families typically receive the written report within approximately two weeks. A feedback session is scheduled to review results, answer questions, and discuss next steps.
