Evaluation Services FAQ's
Do you provide initial autism evaluations for adults?
We do not provide first time autism testing for anyone over age 15. Anyone over the age of 15 seeking autism testing will need to have an existing autism diagnosis and be seeking an updated evaluation for enrollment in services (such as OPWDD). We will accept one of the following as proof of diagnosis: 1) a copy of a previous evaluation in which the autism diagnosis is listed or 2) a signed letter from a psychiatrist or primary care physician confirming the current autism diagnosis. We will not be able to schedule the intake appointment without this documentation.
Do I need to complete an evaluation in order to begin therapy?
No, you don’t need to receive an evaluation in order to see a therapist. You can start therapy at any point before, during, or after the evaluation process and our psychologists generally recommend therapy after an evaluation to address any mental health concerns. If you’d like to add yourself to the waitlist for our Therapy Services, please complete our New Therapy Client Form
Do you prescribe medication?
We do not provide any medication services. You are welcome to pursue psychiatric services at any point during your evaluation. If medication services are recommended by the psychologist, they can provide you with a list of some providers in the area.
What does the evaluation process entail?
Initial Intake Appointment:
The complete evaluation will consist of approximately three appointments, each lasting between 1-2 hours. The first appointment will be the diagnostic interview with the psychologist. This appointment will include a thorough overview of your personal history, including but not limited to family history, medical history, educational background, past mental health treatment, and current mental health symptoms.
Psychological Assessments - Testing Appointments:
After the interview, our office will schedule your testing appointments. Components of the testing process typically include filling out extensive questionnaires about yourself or your child and completing testing with a technician.
Testing with the technician includes hands-on, standardized testing that measures various aspects of cognitive functioning, attention span, and social interaction. These appointments are always held in person and scheduled between the hours of 8:30am and 4pm Monday through Thursday, with the last appointment of the day beginning at 2:30pm.
Your psychologist may ask for additional information or assessments to be completed by teachers, relatives, close friends, or other professionals. This is optional and you can discuss this with your psychologist at the time of your appointment.
Final Results - Official Report:
After all the questionnaires and testing have been completed, the psychologist will review all of the information gathered and write a full report with your results. This report will include background information from the initial appointment, results of the questionnaires and testing, explanations of any diagnoses made, and recommendations. The report will be sent to you via email or mail, whichever you prefer and indicate at your initial appointment.
Optional Feedback Session:
Once you have received your results, you have the option to schedule a follow up phone call with the psychologist to review your results and go over any questions you may have.
What should I bring to my first appointment?
Please bring the following items:
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Photo ID
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Insurance Card
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Payment method
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Custody Documents (if applicable)
You may also want to bring any documentation that would be helpful to the evaluation process such as previous evaluations, educational plans (504 or IEP), or pertinent medical information.
If there’s anyone that you would like to complete questionnaires about you as part of the evaluation process or receive the results of the evaluation, please have their name, email address, and phone number available.
Who should attend the evaluation appointments?
The initial intake appointment is an in depth interview with the psychologist covering topics such as childhood development, educational history, family history, medical history, and mental health symptoms. For anyone under the age of 18, the child being evaluated must attend the appointment and be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian who can provide the above information (see information regarding custody below). Siblings can attend the appointment; however, if they become distracting or are unable to remain in the room, the appointment may be cut short and the psychologist will discuss a plan to follow up.
Anyone over the age of 18 can attend the initial appointment alone. If you choose to have a parent, partner, or other adult attend the appointment with you, you’ll be asked to sign a release form consenting to their participation. You will be asked to discuss personal information during the appointment, so please keep this in mind when asking someone to attend the appointment with you.
What custody documentation might I need?
If parents indicate a situation that leads us to believe that there may be a legal custody arrangement for a minor client, we will ask for a copy of the custody agreement either before or at the time of the intake. The paperwork will need to specify the legal custody agreement (not physical custody or visitation) and be signed by a judge in order for us to move forward with the evaluation. Once we have received the necessary paperwork, the office will let you know that we have what we need and can move forward with the evaluation process. This paperwork can be emailed to calbright@freedomfirstpsych.com or a hard copy can be brought to the initial intake appointment. If you share custody but do not have a formal custody agreement, please let the evaluation intake coordinator know and she’ll discuss next steps with you.
When will I receive the results?
Results will not be discussed at the in person appointments, as many factors go into determining results and this cannot be completed within the appointment timeframe. A written report will be generated and sent to you several weeks after all requested testing has been completed. The report will include the results of the questionnaires and testing, any confirmed or ruled out diagnoses, as well as treatment recommendations. Once you receive the report you will be welcome to schedule a follow up appointment to review these results with the psychologist.
Will my insurance cover an evaluation?
We are able to accept several different insurances for evaluations including CDPHP, MVP, Aetna, and Highmark North Eastern NY. Please see our Insurance & Payment page for the most up-to-date information. If you have any questions about your insurance (e.g. if we are in network or what your out-of-pocket cost may be), you can call the number on the back of your insurance card and ask them about your coverage using the following information:
Tax ID: 812160750
CPT Codes: 90791, 96136, 96137, 96138, 96139, 96130, 96131
Out of pocket costs for evaluations vary, depending on the reasons for testing, typically ranging between $1,000-$2,000.
After your evaluation is complete, you can schedule an optional feedback session to review the results. This would be subject to any out-of-pocket payments per your insurance. The private pay rate is $75.
If you have a change to your insurance during the evaluation process (any time before you have received your final report), please be sure to reach out to the evaluation team right away.
How do I schedule an initial evaluation appointment?
In order to schedule an appointment we ask that you complete our New Evaluation Consult Form. This form does not need to be completed by the client themselves. Clinicians or caseworkers who need to refer someone for an evaluation can submit this form on behalf of the potential client. Please be sure to answer all questions to the best of your ability, as this will help us determine if we’re able to meet your evaluation needs.
We do not complete evaluations for court/legal purposes, military enrollment, or employment screenings.
We do provide evaluations for gender affirming care, OPWDD eligibility, and early education/gifted student eligibility.