1949 1/2 Westwood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064

Psychological Evaluations

What is a Psychological Evaluation?

Sometimes called a Psychodiagnostic Evaluation, a Psychological Evaluation seeks to answer a specific question or questions about psychological functioning (e.g., Does my child have ADHD? Autism Spectrum Disorder? A Learning Disorder? Slow Processing Speed?). The result is a comprehensive report that includes a diagnosis, if applicable, a in-depth review of strengths and weaknesses plus how this affects daily functioning, a summary, and a detailed treatment plan. At Compass Clinic, we will be assessing:

  • Intellectual Functioning, including Giftedness
  • Learning Disabilities
  • Autism Spectrum Disorders
  • Hyperactivity and Inattentiveness for the diagnosis of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
  • Executive-functioning difficulties
  • Adaptive Skills
  • Social-Emotional Development
  • Behavioral Difficulties
  • Language Development
  • Re-evaluation of the above areas to keep school accommodations in place or to establish appropriate accommodations for the next level of education (middle school to high school; college level)

Over the course of 2-4 assessment days, most assessments will include parent and teacher questionnaires, self-report questionnaires, plus specific tests administered by qualified professionals to determine ability levels in domains of interest. We also will review any past reports and interview past professionals who have worked with your child and family.

Your report will include comprehensive and detailed recommendations based on the results of the evaluation. We will provide specific accommodations for the school setting along with concrete recommendations for the home environment. If services are recommended, we will provide you with options so that you can find the best fit for your family.

Most Psychological Evaluations are completed within six weeks, from start to finish. We are usually able to begin the process within one month of your inquiry, and often more quickly than that. We know that when you decide an evaluation is useful, you are anxious to get started.

How is A PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION Different from a Neuropsychological Evaluation?

There is no firm line demarcating what may be included in a Psychological Evaluation versus a Neuropsychological Evaluation and certainly there is overlap in these two in terms of assessment batteries (i.e., which specific tests or questionnaires are administered). A Neuropsychological Evaluation is typically very comprehensive in scope and can evaluate all aspects of the brain-behavior relationship. A Neuropsychological Evaluation (vs. a Compass Clinic Psychological Evaluation) would be more appropriate for children suffering from birth trauma or defects (e.g., Cerebral Palsy), traumatic brain injuries, learning difficulties associated with medical or neurological diagnoses, fine or gross motor delays, language disorders as the primary concern, or visual-spatial/visual-motor difficulties. All other diagnostic questions can be answered through a Compass Clinic Psychological Evaluation and avoid the higher fees of a “full neuropsych.” The default recommendation has unnecessarily become that a child undergo a “full neuropsych” when a more limited evaluation is more often than not perfectly adequate.

How Do I Decide if My Child Needs an Evaluation at all and What Kind?

We are happy to provide a free 15-minute consult to help you decide. Evaluations are time-consuming and often expensive. This means that the more comprehensive the evaluation necessary, the more resources it will require. It is important to determine the correct evaluation approach for your child, depending on your main concerns. Our primary motivation for starting the Compass Assessment Clinic is to be able to provide the “just right level” of assessment at the “just right cost” for our clients. A secondary motivation was to be able to provide usable recommendations that are detailed, specific, and will result in immediate relief versus vague or broad suggestions that do not result in academic accommodations and require you to do all the research.

Fees*

During your consult call, we will make an initial estimate of evaluation type and cost plus the compatibility of your child’s assessment needs and the approach of our clinic. Additionally, each evaluation begins with 90 minute clinical interview to further determine assessment direction and refine the testing battery. The following fee schedule is for informational purposes only and not a set contracted rate.

  • Basic ADHD Evaluation: $5000
  • Basic Autism Spectrum Disorder Evaluation: $5500
  • ADHD Evaluation plus Learning Disorders: $7000

*Please contact us to confirm current fee schedule.

While we are out-of-network with all insurance companies, we will alert you at the start of the process on the steps to take to maximize your chances of insurance reimbursement. We know the questions you need to ask and the potential pitfalls that can happen with coverage for Psychological Evaluations. We pride ourselves on supporting our clients as best we can to navigate the unfriendly waters of insurance claims during the assessment process, rather than leaving you in the dark and fending for yourself.

Next Steps

If you are interested in scheduling a complimentary consultation or have any additional questions please give us a call or submit an Inquiry on the Contact page of the website. Dr. Claudia Lechner, our Assessment Clinic Director will reach out to you to discuss your specific concerns for your child.