ADHD Assessments
Ages 14 — Adult
What an ADHD Assessment can do for you…
If you believe you or a loved one may have ADHD, or if you have been referred for an ADHD evaluation, we are here to help. Properly diagnosing ADHD can be complicated as symptoms vary widely from person to person and often overlap with other mental health conditions. We conduct a thorough and comprehensive psychological assessment focused on attaining an accurate diagnosis and fully understanding how your symptoms impact your life.
Individuals with ADHD experience difficulties with certain cognitive skills called Executive Functions. These skills help us make complex decisions, plan and prioritize tasks, and manage our time. Executive function deficits (aka executive dysfunctions) can lead to significant academic, occupational, personal, and even interpersonal challenges for those with ADHD. We evaluate for specific cognitive dysfunctions as part of our ADHD assessment.
Our assessment may be a good fit if you:
Are a student whose grades routinely fall short of your understanding of class material.
Are an executive or professional who is wondering if ADHD is interfering with your day-to-day performance or longer-term career goals.
Are an adult who feels like your lack of organization, procrastination, or lack of follow-through affects your personal relationships.
Have had difficulty in the past changing or stopping behaviors you understand to be counterproductive.
An ADHD assessment with one of our clinicians includes the following services:
Before your appointment, our team will send a series of rating scales via email to be completed online. These may include patient self-assessments and scales for appropriate caregivers, partners, teachers, coaches, or other school officials. For many patients, we include The Brown Executive Function/Attention (EF/A) Scales as part of this battery. Dr. Brown’s ADHD model allows us to identify specific impairments in executive functioning which are likely to be causing you problems and could benefit from intervention.
All new patients are scheduled for a 120-minute in-office evaluation. This includes:
A diagnostic interview with the patient and appropriate caregivers. During this interview, we will assess for symptoms of ADHD, associated executive dysfunctions, and other mental health concerns, including anxiety and depression.
A review of your completed rating scales.
A collaborative discussion of our findings and the most appropriate next steps, even without an ADHD diagnosis. This could include recommendations for psychotherapy, executive functioning coaching, educational or occupational accommodations, and/or a referral for a medication consultation with an Arete Center Psychiatrist.
A brief written summary of our findings and recommendations is available upon request. A more detailed report, sometimes required for accommodations, can be provided at an additional fee and may take several weeks to complete.
Can this assessment be used for accommodations?
The results of this assessment are usually sufficient for most educational and occupational accommodations for ADHD. However, this evaluation is not considered comprehensive psycho-educational testing and does not include an assessment of cognitive functioning or intellectual ability. Such testing is not usually necessary for an assessment of ADHD but is necessary for diagnosing specific learning disorders. Psycho-educational testing may be required for I.E.P. accommodations and accommodations on some professional, certification, and other standardized examinations.
Do you prescribe ADHD medications?
A 120-minute ADHD assessment with psychologist Dr. Michener does not include a medication consult. If our assessment reveals a diagnosis of ADHD, he can refer you to one of our Arete Center psychiatrists for a consultation to discuss the potential benefits of medication. An assessment with Dr. Michener consists of a 120-minute appointment, including the process above and the administration of The Brown Executive Function/Attention (EF/A) Scales.
A 90-minute ADHD assessment with psychiatrists Dr. Cheney or Dr. Walick includes a medication consult but does not include the administration of The Brown Executive Function/Attention (EF/A) Scales or ongoing psychotherapy. You may be referred to a psychologist for ongoing psychotherapy if indicated. If you are prescribed medication, 25-minute follow-up appointments are required as required for continuing care.
What is the cost of an assessment?
Our program is designed with the flexibility to provide a cost-efficient path for clients to reach their treatment goals while avoiding the cost of unnecessary testing or services. Rates vary depending on the services requested and will be discussed during an initial phone consultation.