Health and Psychology

Psychological Assessment is a complex field.  I get calls asking what I charge for an assessment.  I have a fee schedule posted on this website but it's complicated.  What I need to know to estimate a cost of an assessment is what the nature of the referral question is and where the assessment is to take place.  So if I have a simple assessment such as "My child is doing this behavior.  Can you tell me if something is wrong with him or her?"  That's something that may be quite easy.  A history can be completed online and some screening items can be used to make it easier and quicker for me.  That all cuts down on the costs. 

A more complicated assessment is one where the results are going to go to a school or a regulatory body.  That's more of a standard assessment but may get quite complex if there's a need to document something like ADD or a learning disorder for accommodations under the American Disability Act.

Some assessments are inexpensive because I do them all the time and the referral questions are actually simple.  These are assessments such as those required for Social Security Disability.  The basic question is can this person do simple work or function in a regular classroom without being disruptive to others or being disrupted by psychologically based symptoms and can they manage any financial benefit they might receive.  So these types of evaluations are limited in scope and also are not expensive.  Social Security Administration usually schedule these types of evaluations with psychologists and term them Consultative Examinations.  These examinations are paid for by the Disability Determination Service.  If someone wanted the same type of evaluation privately I'd charge the same amount I'm normally paid on contract.

More complicated psychological or neuropsychological assessments involve the evaluation of neurological or medical symptoms, or personality disorders.  These types of evaluations may get quite complex.  The reports are often needed for court or need to go to a physician.  The reports may involve medical research and may be quite lengthy.

Feel free to contact me by phone or email if you have questions about my fees for evaluation.