ADHD Evaluations
Providing family centered assessment services throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.
Your child may have Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) if they have trouble paying attention and/or have trouble controlling their behavior and emotions. There are three types of ADHD:
Predominantly Inattentive Type: children with this type of ADHD may daydream a lot, have a hard time finishing tasks, struggle to pay attention. Children are often also distracted and forgetful.
Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Type: children with this type of ADHD have a hard time sitting still and they may fidget. They often talk a lot, interrupt others, act without thinking, and struggle to wait their turn. These children often struggle with emotional regulation.
Combined Type: children with combined type have both inattentive and hyperactive symptoms.
An evaluation is recommended if your child exhibits these symptoms and is struggling at home, school, and/or in other daily activities. Children who are depressed, anxious, or have experienced trauma can also exhibit symptoms that look like ADHD. A comprehensive evaluation will help you to understand whether these symptoms are the result of ADHD, or another mental health condition. An evaluation will provide you with a roadmap of how best to support your child moving forward regardless of their diagnosis.
If you are concerned about your child’s inattention and/or hyperactivity, psychological testing can provide you with answers. Some common questions parents ask me:
Is my child’s behavior normal for their age?
Why can’t my child sit still?
How can I support my child at school?
What type of educational setting is best for my child?
What treatment(s) should we seek out?
What can I do to improve my child’s behavior?
How can I get my child to listen to me?
I always provide children and teenagers the opportunities to ask their own questions. Some common questions children ask me are:
Am I smart?
Why do I keep getting in trouble at school?
Why can’t I focus?
Why do I get angry so easily?
How can I get along better with my family?
I will work closely with your family to design a testing program that will address the questions and concerns you have about your child.
The process involves:
Initial Parent Meeting: All evaluations begin with an initial interview and parent consultation via telehealth. If at all possible, all parents/guardians should be present for this meeting. We will discuss your questions and concerns about your child and discuss what you are hoping to gain from the testing process. In this meeting, we will review the intake questionnaire and I will ask additional questions about your child’s history. 50% of the testing fee will be charged at this appointment. (90 minutes)
School/Classroom Observation: For Children in preschool and elementary school, I will observe your child at school before meeting your child (if school COVID-19 protocols allow this). This provides me an opportunity to see your child’s classroom environment, observe their behavior, and connect with their teacher. Middle and high school students will not be observed. Teachers will also be provided with questionnaires to gain a better understanding of your child’s functioning at school (60 minutes)
Review of School Records: I will review your child’s school records (attendance, report cards, testing, discipline records) to gain an understanding of their school functioning over time.
Testing Sessions: Most children and adolescents need a total of 8-10 hours of testing. Typically, testing is scheduled across 2-4 sessions, depending on the needs of your child. I will work with your child in person as well as via telehealth.
Comprehensive Psychological Report: You will receive your child’s comprehensive psychological report approximately two weeks after the final testing session. At this time, you will be responsible for paying the remaining 50% of the testing fee.
Parent Feedback Meeting: I will meet with you via telehealth to discuss the results of your child’s testing. This meeting will occur approximately two weeks after the final testing session and after you have had a chance to review your child’s psychological report. This is an opportunity for you to better understand the testing results, discuss recommendations in greater depth, and answer any remaining questions. (60 minutes)
Child/Adolescent Feedback Meeting: When appropriate, I meet with your child to discuss their results in a developmentally appropriate manner. This will be done in person or via telehealth depending on your child’s age and development. (30-60 minutes).
Followup Support: The evaluation fee includes support by phone, email, and telehealth to assist families in implementing the recommendations and finding well-matched treatment providers. If desired, I will also work with existing treatment providers and your child’s school to communicate results.
Fees: Testing is customized based on the questions you’d like answered by testing, therefore the testing fee will be determined once we define the scope of testing. I offer a sliding scale based on income, if needed. I do not take insurance, however I will provide a copy of your paid invoice for you to use to get reimbursement from your insurance company.
Your Right to a Good Faith Estimate: You have the right to receive a “Good Faith Estimate” explaining how much your medical care will cost. Under the law, health care providers need to give patients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the bill for medical items and services. You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency items or services. This includes related costs like medical tests, prescription drugs, equipment, and hospital fees. Make sure your health care provider gives you a Good Faith Estimate in writing at least 1 business day before your medical service or item. You can also ask your health care provider, and any other provider you choose, for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule an item or service. If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill. Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate.
For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises or call 1-800-985-3059
Service Areas: San Francisco, Sausalito, Mill Valley, Corte Madera, San Rafael, Novato, San Leandro, Oakland, Berkeley, Albany, Petaluma, Rohnert Park, Santa Rosa, Windsor, Healdsburg.
Get in touch
If you have questions about psychological testing or want to schedule an appointment with me, please complete this form. I look forward to working with you!