Evaluations for Adult Autism & ADHD

Specializing in Neurodiversity Affirming specific evaluations for adults exploring their neurotype

Specific Evaluations

We focus on specific evaluations for autism specializing in late-diagnosed adults who are likely to be misdiagnosed or missed entirely. This evaluation is not full psychological or neuropsychological testing.

Evolution of Evaluations

I am constantly engaging in education and consultation to keep up with Autistic-led research and thinking. Due to the rapid evolution of Neuro-Affirmative care, I am constantly updating the assessment tools I use, the language used in reports, and striving for current best-practice.

Autism + ADHD

According to the most current scientific literature, 50-70% of autistic individuals also present with co-occurring ADHD. Given this prevalence, we offer a combined evaluation to assess both adult ADHD and autism at a reduced fee from two separate evaluations. 

Evaluation Options

Why we use the MIGDAS-2

The MIGDAS-2 diagnostic interview process invites individuals to share their worldview. The interview begins with sharing of preferred interests and exploration of the adult’s sensory profile. This narrative method of exploring autism decreases the performative social communication demands and allows for a therapeutic approach to considering the strengths and differences of the autistic brain style.

This is in contrast to the medical model’s focus on deficit-based diagnostic criteria which is inherently based on symptoms, impairments, or how much the autistic individual passes or fails at being neurotypical.

The result of the evaluation is a comprehensive behavioral profile that describes the individual’s distinct ways of relating to the world which supplements assessment scores and informs diagnosis, practical interventions, supports, and treatment planning.

Why not the "Gold Standard" ?

The MIGDAS-2 & ADOS-2 are both valid, but different measures for assessing autism in children and adults. The ADOS-2 is an examiner driven assessment focusing on social communication. In contrast, the MIGDAS-2 is a sensory-based interview that allows the person being evaluated to tell the story of their own lived experiences across the three main areas most impacted by autism.

The ADOS-2’s original intent and purpose was use in clinical research settings and it is often erroneously referred to as the “gold standard” for autism assessment. Consequently, many school districts and other institutions may still require the ADOS-2 in order for individuals to receive services which has further contributed to its widespread use in clinical settings.

The ADOS-2 can be less sensitive to females, those with high IQ, adults from other minority or marginalized populations, and adults with low support-needs. Additionally, many high camouflaging adults report responding in ways that fit what they know they “should” say or do, which can lead to being missed or misdiagnosed. Many autistic adults report that the process itself can feel performative and infantilizing. Consequently, we have chosen to amplify the voices of actually autistic adults (many of them mental health clinicians) who continue to assert that the MIGDAS-2 is the more affirming measure.

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Address

Rock St 12, Newyork City, USA

Phone

(01) 234 5678 98
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Time

Week Days: 09.00 to 18.00 Sunday: Closed
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Address

Rock St 12, Newyork City, USA

Phone

(01) 234 5678 98
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Time

Week Days: 09.00 to 18.00 Sunday: Closed

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Step by Step Process of Evaluation

Step 1

E-mail heather@vanncounseling.com or call 352-316-0518 schedule a consultation call OR self-schedule online. 

The card on file is charged the $400 deposit of when the Diagnostic Clinical Interview is scheduled and all intake paperwork is sent to you via the client portal. Once paperwork is completed and reviewed the appointment will be confirmed via e-mail. 

Step 2

120 minute Diagnostic Clinical Interview – can be done as 1 session or split into two 60 minute sessions.

Family member or support person is welcome to attend (but not required) to provide collateral information. This is highly recommend for young adult clients.

Card on file charged remaining amount due an hour before the start of the appointment

Step 3

Screening tools + Standardized behavior rating scales specific to your evaluation completed at your convenience and from the comfort of your own space

Additional information may be obtained from collateral sources (typically family members, partners, or others who know you well)

Step 4

If evaluating ADHD – QbCheck – a continuous performance computer test for objective data

Step 5

Once all of the data is received, it typically takes 2-4 weeks depending on current caseloads to finalize the evaluation report and schedule the feedback appointment.

Step 6

Feedback Session with client (and family member or support person if desired) to review the evaluation report, process the outcomes of the evaluation as well as any relevant diagnoses, review any recommendations, and answer any questions you may have. The report is sent to you via your client portal. 

Evaluation Policies
  • Your card on file will be charged a $400 deposit at the time the intake appointment is scheduled and the remainder will be charged one hour before the intake appointment.
  • The intake appointment can be split into two appointments which will also split the remaining amount due into smaller payments. 
  • No refunds will be given for deposits, late-cancellations within 24 hours or no shows for intake appointment. Reschedules may require paying the standard $185 intake appointment fee to re-start the evaluation process.
  • Arriving late to the appointment may require additional time to be scheduled to complete the intake which will be billed at the current therapy intake rate.
  • Complex evaluations requiring extensive time reviewing records, additional assessments, or time may be subject to being billed at $185/hour beyond the evaluation cost. This will be discussed and mutually agreed upon prior to any additional steps being taken by the evaluator.
Financial Investment

Diagnostic Evaluations are a significant financial investment. Given how financially inaccessible evaluations can be, I specialize in specific adult evaluations that are not comprehensive psychological or neuropsychological evaluations. A minimum of 10-12 hours is spent completing the average evaluation.

A general breakdown of the cost for the assessments includes:

  • 2 hours of evaluator time in administrative time including consultation calls, setting up the client chart, sending all documents/forms/assessments, analyzing & organizing the information gathered from the client
  • 2-3 hours of diagnostic interview with client (and any additional collateral interviews including family members, other providers, teachers, etc.)
  • 2-3 hours of reporting writing (more for the combined evaluation)
  • 45 minute telehealth feedback session with client to review outcomes and recommendations and answer any questions
Telehealth Evaluations

Telehealth evaluations are available for clients who are physically located in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. Telehealth may not be the best fit for all clients, but can be a safe and affirming option for many. Some things to consider:

1. Are you able to complete electronic paperwork and questionnaires on your own with little support?

2. Do you prefer to be in person with your provider or do you prefer being in your own space with your own supports and accommodations during appointments?

3. Do you have a larger screen electronic device? While smart phones can be used for some parts of the process, we recommend using a larger screen for all of the steps of the process. The QbCheck (only for the ADHD evaluation piece) requires a desk top or lap top with a camera and cannot be completed on a chromebook or tablet. 

 

Collateral Sources & Support

While you’re not required to provide consent for me to contact anyone to gather more information, more information from more sources is usually (but not always) helpful. This information might be historical content about your childhood, perspective regarding how well you’ve been camouflaging and masking, and/or in-depth family medical and mental health history.

For young and emerging adult clients, I do recommend that you consider having someone attend the appointments with you that can help with sharing historical information about your childhood. However, this is not required.

All clients are welcome to invite a loved one or support person to join their appointment. Please let me know ahead of time who will be joining us.

Accommodations

Both evaluations are sufficient for seeking accommodations for work, school, and high-stakes testing. We have confirmed with all of the major testing companies that our evaluation would be accepted.

Our evaluation is not psychological or neuropsychological testing and is NOT sufficient for those seeking diagnosis for Social Security Disability Insurance OR for forensic evaluation purposes.

It is important to note that a diagnosis does not mean that an institution will consider a person disabled under the law.

Medication Management

Heather Vann is an LMFT and does not prescribe medication. However, if your evaluation results in a diagnosis of ADHD or other co-occurring diagnoses that you may choose to treat medically, you should share your evaluation results with your medical provider.

Getting Started

Evaluations can be booked online using the client portal

All sessions are telehealth for clients located in FL, GA, & SC

Schedule a Consultation Call

Not ready to make an appointment? Do you have more questions?

E-mail us to set up a brief consultation call.

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