Services
Evaluations &
Assessments
Thoughtful evaluations that help individuals and families understand strengths, clarify concerns, and identify meaningful next steps.
Why Seek an Evaluation?
An evaluation can clarify psychological, developmental, or learning concerns and identify practical recommendations and next steps.
Whether you are seeking accommodations, exploring diagnostic questions, or looking to better understand yourself or your child, a comprehensive assessment can provide useful information to guide support and next steps.
We offer a range of specialized evaluations tailored to address specific
developmental, learning,
and psychological needs
across the lifespan.
Comprehensive Assessment Offerings
We offer a range of specialized evaluations tailored to address specific developmental, learning,
and psychological needs across the lifespan.
Autism & Neurodevelopment
Clarifies social communication, sensory, behavioral, and developmental patterns.
Developmental Evaluations
Helps families understand development across language, learning, movement, behavior, and daily skills.
Cognitive Functioning
Identifies patterns of thinking, reasoning, memory, and problem-solving.
Attention & Executive Function
Explores attention, organization, working memory, planning, and self-regulation.
Educational Evaluations
Clarifies learning strengths and challenges in reading, writing, and mathematics.
Psychological & Diagnostic
Provides diagnostic clarity regarding emotional, behavioral, and mental health concerns.
The Steps for an Evaluation
Schedule an Initial Consultation
We start by talking with you about your concerns, questions, and what you hope to understand. This helps us determine whether an evaluation is the right next step. Depending on your situation, we may discuss different assessment options, recommend another type of service, or help point you toward resources that may be a better fit.
Gathering Information
Before testing begins, we gather information including: history, current concerns, strengths, daily functioning, and relevant school or medical history. Depending on the evaluation, this may include questionnaires, record review, and conversations with parents, caregivers, teachers, or other providers.
Your Appointment
The evaluation is tailored to the individual. We use carefully selected, well-validated measures to better understand areas such as development, thinking and learning, attention, social communication, emotional functioning, adaptive skills, and behavior.
Understanding the Whole Picture
Test scores are only one part of an evaluation. We integrate the assessment results with developmental history, observations, reported concerns, strengths, and everyday functioning to understand how the pieces fit together and whether a diagnosis is supported.
Results & Next Steps
We meet with you to review the findings in clear, practical language. We discuss strengths, areas of concern, diagnostic conclusions when appropriate, and recommendations that can help guide next steps at home, school, work, or in treatment.
Connect
Explore
Evaluate
Interpret
Review
What You Might Be
Wondering
How long does an evaluation take?
The time needed varies depending on the person’s age, the type of evaluation, and the questions being explored. Direct testing may take several hours and may be completed in one or more appointments. We will explain the anticipated schedule before the evaluation begins.
What is included in an evaluation?
Although each evaluation is individualized, it may include an initial interview, review of relevant records, questionnaires, observation, direct assessment, a written report, and a feedback meeting.
How do I prepare?
There is nothing to study or practice for an evaluation.
For young children: Arriving rested, bringing any requested records or forms, and helping children understand that you will be doing different activities with the psychologist is usually most helpful.
For Adults & Adolescents: There is nothing to study or practice. Arriving rested, bringing any requested records or forms, and helping children understand that you will be doing different activities with the psychologist is usually most helpful.
When do I receive the results?
After your interviews and appointments are complete, the psychologist carefully reviews and integrates all of the information. We will explain the anticipated report timeline before services begin and will contact you when the report and feedback meeting are ready.
Generally, this can take as little as seven days and up to four weeks depending on the complexity of the evaluation needs.
Does CTLC accept insurance for evaluations?
Insurance & Payment
CTLC bills a small number of insurance plans directly. If we do not participate with your plan, we can provide a superbill that you may submit for possible out-of-network reimbursement. Coverage and reimbursement vary by plan and are not guaranteed.
Understanding the Limits of Insurance Coverage
Insurance coverage for psychological evaluations can vary considerably. Some plans limit the type, scope, or purpose of an evaluation they will cover, and authorization does not always mean that every component of an assessment will be reimbursed.
Before services begin, we will explain the anticipated evaluation process and provide you with a cost estimate. If CTLC is not billing your insurance directly, payment is made to CTLC and we can provide a superbill for you to submit to your insurance plan.
I was referred by the Regional Center, what should I expect?
First, if you are referred by the Regional Center, there is no cost to you.
SDRC evaluations are designed to answer the specific developmental and diagnostic questions requested by the Regional Center. Because the scope is determined by the referral, the evaluation may focus on areas such as developmental functioning, autism, intellectual functioning, or adaptive skills rather than exploring every possible concern.
Our goal is still to provide a thoughtful, well-supported evaluation within that scope. We review relevant history, use appropriate standardized measures, consider how the different pieces fit together, and explain the findings clearly.
If concerns emerge that fall outside the purpose of the SDRC evaluation, we may recommend additional assessment or follow-up through another provider or service.
Ready to Find Greater Clarity?
If you are considering an evaluation for yourself or your child, we invite you to connect with us. We can help you determine whether CTLC’s evaluation services may be a good fit for your questions and needs.