As a parent or caregiver, if your answer is “YES!” to any of these questions, then now is a great time to consider testing:

1. Do you feel unsure what  to do next to support your child’s academic or social-emotional development?

2. Do you question if there are learning, processing, attention, or emotional difficulties that might explain your child’s challenges?

3. Is your child expressing negative thoughts or feelings about themselves or sharing that they dislike school? 

4. Are your child’s behaviors impacting your family functioning or causing strain in relationships?

5. Has your child’s teacher expressed concerns or suggested seeking a specialist?

6. Is your child struggling with school work, home work, focus, impulse control, emotion regulation, anxiety, processing information (verbal, auditory, language, fine motor), or executive functioning?

7. Do you think your child might benefit from resources or programming to support their learning needs (specialized school placement, summer programs, learning program within their school, IEP/504 plan, etc.)?

8. Are you looking to move your child to a school that requires or strongly encourages a comprehensive evaluation for admission and/or access to accommodations?

Each evaluation typically takes me 14-16 hours from start to finish. This includes:

-Preparation for testing (records review, choosing appropriate tests)

-Administrative tasks (scheduling, sending teacher forms, setting up appointments, creating documents)

-Consulting with other important people (e.g. therapists, teachers, caregivers)

-Administering tests, scoring, and interpreting resulting data

-Completing a feedback session with caregivers

-Writing, editing, and finalizing your report

…and more!

The ‘product’ of an evaluation is a comprehensive report (usually 20-30 pages in length) that covers background information, parent/teacher feedback, my observations, results of testing, a summary section, which includes recommendations for ‘next steps’ to best support your child. I pride myself in thorough, detailed reports that help communicate your child’s strengths and needs to other providers, teachers, and caregivers.

This will differ from psychologist to psychologist, but there are a few areas I am unable to assess in my evaluations, including:

1. Formal diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (Note: I am able to screen and have working knowledge, but am not able to make official diagnosis of ASD. For this, I would make direct referrals to appropriate providers)

2. Forensic or court matters, custody-related matters, parental fitness, and fitness to stand trial

3. Disability evaluation (for Social Security Disability through the state)

4. Diagnosis related to severe and persistent mental health concerns (such as schizophrenia/schizophrenophorm disorders and personality disorders - for this I would make direct referrals to appropriate providers)

Please reach out to me if you have specific questions about your/your child’s needs!

This is a great question, and it deserves an in-depth answer.

I wrote a comprehensive blog post about it here! Please reach out if you have further questions, I’d be glad to chat.

I see children ages 4 ½ and through college-aged adults for educational evaluations.

I am also able to provide comprehensive evaluations to adults should they benefit from educational testing (for example, an adult pursuing graduate education who needs testing accommodations for the GRE, MCAT, LSAT, etc.).

Another option for individuals 18+ is my brief ADHD evaluation, for which you can find information on my Services page.

For therapy, my focus is working with older children, teens, and tweens ages 9-16.

For Psychoeducational testing:

Families schedule a series of 3 appointments: Two in person testing appointments (Each 2 to 3.5 hours in length depending on age).

Note: For children 4 1/2 - 6, we may discuss dividing the time into three shorter appointments depending on their needs.

We will also schedule a 90 minute feedback session for caregivers (or clients if adults). These are typically conducted virtually (with some limited in person availability). For teens and young adults, I also offer a 30-minute additional virtual feedback meeting at no additional cost, if desired.

For ADHD only testing:

Adults will schedule one 90-120 minute appointment with me in person. They will also complete a series of forms in advance of testing and provide me with outside informants to contact for observer report. We will then schedule a 45 minute feedback meeting to review results (usually conducted virtually).

A great question!

I have created two downloadable PDFs, one for children and one for teens, that can help you explain the testing process.

Preparing for Testing (Ages 4-11)

Preparing for Testing (Ages 12+)

No.

I do not use any AI or large language models (LLMs) in the testing, interpretation/analysis, or report-writing process. Your protected health information (PHI) is not being used to train any large language model.

I believe it is imperative that you and your child receive a personalized experience that is entirely human. All material presented to you in your final written report comes directly from me, with the help of those who trained me to be an effective and thorough psychologist.

Please feel free to reach out if you have additional questions about my process!

Yes!

I do not use a psychometrist (a person who is not a psychologist who is trained to administer tests but cannot interpret results) or any assistant as part of the testing process. You/Your child will only work with me through every step of the process. You will never go through a third party when communicating with or working with me.

For full transparency, I use a HIPPA-compliant medical transcription service to help type my reports, as many physicians and providers do. This means a qualified professional medical transcriptionist takes the words I say and types them to help me work faster and get you your report sooner. However, every word in your report originated from me and is approved, edited, and finalized by my eyes. If you have questions about how your information is used, please do not hesitate to contact me.

At this time, I do not require a deposit to book appointments. I ask that you provide payment in full at the first testing appointment unless otherwise discussed with me.

Please keep in mind that when you book an appointment, even without a deposit, you are holding a place on my schedule that is no longer available to other individuals and families, as well as contributing to the continuation of my small business.

If you need to cancel or reschedule your appointments, I respectfully request that you provide me with a minimum of 7 business days’ notice if at all possible so that I might make the available appointments open to others.

I start working on your evaluation 2+ weeks prior to your intake appointment (e.g., sending out teacher forms, reviewing records, and creating documentation). I ask that you consider the time-intensity of the service I am providing prior to making a last-minute cancellation, if at all possible. I understand that some circumstances make it difficult to do so!

If you/your child is experiencing any major symptoms of illness, including fever, cough, or difficulty breathing, or if they have tested positive for a contagious illness such as COVID-19, strep throat. pink eye, etc., please contact me as soon as possible so we can reschedule your appointment(s).

For the safety of your family, my office’s other clients, and myself, I ask that children are kept at home until they are 24 hours fever-free and feeling generally well. This will help prevent the spread of illness and allow for accurate testing!

My office accepts all major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover), cash, and checks (made out to SSCPS or “Sandy Springs Center for Psychological Services”).

Note: There is a 3% additional charge for credit card purchases to cover the cost of acceptance, as mandated by the credit card companies and the state of Georgia.

Don’t keep a checkbook nowadays and want to save? Consider a Certified Cashier’s Check from your bank.

My office does not accept funds from pre-tax accounts for healthcare expenses, such as a Heath Savings Account, Flexible Savings Account, or Health Reimbursement Account (HSA/FSA/HRA) or debit cards. You may submit your superbill for possible reimbursement of these funds.

I am out-of-network for all insurance plans. You may be able to get reimbursement for testing or therapy by submitting the receipt (called a “Superbill”) to your insurance company, which I will provide at the end of the testing process (at feedback) or once monthly for therapy clients. It is your responsibility to determine this with your insurance provider.

So that I can see you sooner and get your report completed faster! This service is my business, which is set up in a way that enables me to provide high quality, comprehensive services while supporting my growth as a psychologist in our community!

I can also take more time with the testing process and choose the tests I believe are necessary (without insurance approval). I am able to provide more than what is ‘medically necessary’ based on insurance guidelines. I am also enabled the flexibility to cater testing directly to you or your child.

Additionally, my being out of network means that you can decide who accesses your medical information instead of your insurance company. You are the owner of the report once I have completed it and may do with it as you see fit!

No matter who you work with, it may be be helpful to know that insurance may inconsistently cover ADHD and learning disability assessment. I have heard success stories, and I encourage you to discuss with your insurance provider!

See the next question on this list for suggestions on discussing coverage with your insurance company.

First, contact your insurance and ask about "Out-of-Network Coverage" for a psychological, neuropsychological, or psychoeducational evaluation:

The following questions may be helpful to ask:

1. What are my out-of-network benefits? How much is my deductible? After I meet my deductible, what percentage of the visit cost will I be reimbursed for?

2. Up to how much can I be reimbursed for:

   1. CPT® Code 96130 - Psychological and Neuropsychological Testing Evaluation Services, first hour

   2. CPT® Code 96136 - Psychological or Neuropsychological Test Administration/Scoring by physician or other qualified healthcare professional, two or more tests, any method, first 30 minutes

   3. CPT® Code 96137 - Psychological and Neuropsychological Test Administration and Scoring

   4. CPT® Code 96131 - Psychological and Neuropsychological Testing Evaluation Services, each additional hour

3. How do I submit a claim with the receipt my psychologist gave/will give me?

4. Do I need to provide the final report after testing is completed as additional documentation? If so, where/to whom should that be provided?

No, I do not!

In Georgia, psychologists are not trained or qualified to prescribe medication. Following testing, or alongside therapy, I may recommend that you or your child work with your primary care/pediatrician or a specialist such as a psychiatrist regarding medication management. Local referrals are always provided following services if requested.