FAQ

There is metered parking on the street in front of the office building or you may park in one of the public parking garages (1-2 block walk from our office). The closest garage is Pack Square parking, which is accessed at 4 Biltmore Ave, Asheville, NC. The Aloft Hotel Public Parking Deck is about 2 blocks away and is accessed at 51 Biltmore Avenue.

Do not worry! We will help you decide what type of testing or evaluation you need. The first step in the testing process is the completion of a secure, confidential intake form.

This intake form will give us a general idea of your concerns and the referral questions and it will help us guide you into selecting the appropriate evaluation. We will give you options or recommendations and quote a price for the evaluation, which can vary depending on the domains and skills being tested, age of the child/individual, the time it takes to complete the appropriate tests, as well as presenting concerns. Our office manager will then help you schedule the evaluation.

We are a self-pay practice, so we do not take or file insurance or Medicaid. We will provide you with an itemized receipt (superbill with CPT codes listed) that you can use to file a claim with your insurance company for out-of-network (OON) coverage.

We don't accept insurance because our evaluations involve thorough educational testing. Insurance typically doesn't cover testing for learning disabilities because they see it as an educational, not medical, issue. Insurance companies believe it's the school's job to test for learning disabilities, but schools only test if your child meets specific legal criteria.

Additionally, most people don’t realize that schools can’t test for or diagnose ADHD - because it’s considered a medical condition, not educational. Autism is also determined differently in the educational system versus medically. This can make things confusing for families trying to understand why their child is struggling.

We're experts in both educational classifications and medical diagnoses, so we take a holistic approach to figure out what is going on and how to address it. Unfortunately, if we accepted insurance, we would have to follow strict guidelines that do not allow for this type of comprehensive evaluation across disciplines.

The cost for a comprehensive evaluation depends on a number of factors, such as presenting concerns, referral questions, age, and type of testing desired. Typically, our comprehensive evaluations range from $2200 - $2800. Evaluations for young children (3 or under) are generally a little less (around $1800) while some comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations for older adolescents or adults with complex medical or mental health presentations can range up to $4000 or more.

Other requests - such as early admission to kindergarten, private school admissions, or gifted testing - can be considerably less (around $800) as there is not a comprehensive evaluation component. The best way to determine the cost for an evaluation is to complete an intake form so we can learn more about your reasons for testing and provide you with quotes and descriptions for consideration.

Getting a thorough evaluation for your child or family member is a process that involves more than most people realize. Our psychologists can only do about two evaluations each week because a careful assessment takes a lot of time and effort.

Before you or your child’s appointment, we gather information from parents, teachers, or significant others, determine test battery, and review information and records to prepare for the evaluation. During the testing, you or your child spend about 5-6 hours with us, but a lot of time is spent scoring and reviewing the results afterwards. We talk to parents or significant others to gather detailed information about developmental history and presenting concerns. And then we analyze data from all sources to form our professional opinions.

Following the evaluation, we want to make sure that parents or clients themselves understand the results and next steps with a thorough verbal feedback. We also take care and time to put together a detailed, individualized report with recommendations for support and interventions.

Our rates are typically less per hour than psychotherapy but with 15 hours billed at a time, it can seem like a lot. Plus, testing companies charge considerably for kits, materials, and scoring. We understand that testing is a big commitment for many families and we strive to provide a high quality evaluation for your investment.

We see children as young as 2 years of age up through adults of any age. However, our most common age range is school-age through young adulthood. We only have a few psychologists who specialize in evaluating children under age 4 or adults over age 25, so it may be a slightly longer wait time for these age ranges.

Certainly! We welcome families to travel to Asheville and often have families come in for the day from surrounding areas. Our office is conveniently located within walking distance of several downtown hotels, restaurants, and shops. Asheville is a vibrant city with a lot to offer, perfect for making a day or weekend trip out of your visit.

We can conduct interviews and provide feedback via telehealth, share checklists through digital platforms, and manage pre and post-testing requirements virtually. This streamlined approach means families can drive in for the testing day without the hassle of multiple trips.

Public school systems are required to follow state and federal guidelines for determining which students need testing and whether or not certain support services are provided (e.g., Individualized Education Plan or 504 accommodation plan). Not every child who receives a diagnosis will automatically be offered an IEP in the public schools and not every child with a diagnosis needs one!

Public schools will usually accept our evaluation as the testing part; however, they are required to follow other legal requirements besides just testing, such as tiered supports in the regular education setting, to determine if specially designed instruction is needed. We strive to help families understand the process and collaborate with their child’s educational team to identify the most appropriate supports for their child’s needs.

Private schools typically welcome our evaluations and value our comprehensive recommendations and support strategies. Regardless of where your child is in school, we individualize recommendations for services and supports that will help them thrive.

It is important that your child gets a good night’s sleep and has a healthy breakfast on the morning of the day of testing. If your child takes medication, please make sure he or she takes the medication on the day of testing. If you have any specific questions about medications, please let us know.

Please give your child an explanation about the day of testing ahead of time but keep it simple and developmentally appropriate. Most young children can be told that they will be working with someone on reading, spelling, and math, as well as puzzles and game-like tasks to understand how they learn best.

For older children worried about their academic challenges, reassure them that the testing will involve working with someone to help them better understand why they are finding school or life difficult and how this can lead to better supports so they can thrive.. Most children enjoy many of the tasks and the individualized attention from the psychologist.

Yes, you should pack a healthy lunch for your child and a water bottle. We have filtered water that can be used to refill water. We have a refrigerator for keeping items cold if needed and we have a microwave for heating items if needed. We have healthy snacks at our office, but please feel free to send additional snacks also. Please let the psychologist know if your child has any food allergies.

Absolutely! Typically, for school-aged children and adolescents, the face-to-face testing occurs in one day and lasts about as long as a short school day with breaks and lunch, (9:00 – 2:00).

Some parents express concern about the “day of testing,” which does sound grueling; however, most school-aged children are able to engage in the testing for this period of time and have the advantage (over a regular school day) of one-to-one interaction with an adult, varied tasks that are often “game-like” in format, and the psychologist who is sensitive to signs of fatigue, disinterest, poor motivation, difficulties with concentration and attention, etc. and will take breaks based on the unique needs of the child (versus a teacher with a classroom of children).

Unlike standardized tests that are often given in school, the child does not complete the testing independently in a booklet, working for long periods of time independently. Rather, almost every item of every “test” is given to the child by the psychologist so that there is quite a bit of interaction and conversation throughout the day.

Nonetheless, there are occasions when the psychologist may feel that the child is unable to complete the testing in one day, even with numerous breaks, and will schedule an additional session, if necessary.

There is a waiting room available for parents who wish to stay and wait while their child is in testing. It is also fine for parents to leave and come back at the end of the day as long as a phone number is provided where the parent can be reached, if necessary.

A verbal feedback can typically be scheduled within a few days or a week of testing, as long as all testing forms are completed and returned by parents and teachers or significant others. The written report is usually completed within 2-3 weeks following testing, if all testing forms are returned by the parents and teacher in a timely manner.

Please bring a copy of school records such as report cards, standardized tests, prior testing, etc. for the psychologist to review. If there are relevant medical issues, a parent may wish to bring documentation or a copy of select medical records. Our office manager will typically discuss what types of records you may need to bring. If you have any questions, please let her know.