Services

Psychological Screening

What is Psychological Assessment? Psychological assessment is a process that can be undertaken in order to: Provide a more accurate diagnosis Determine the level at which a patient is functioning Determine the severity of symptoms that a patient is experiencing Assist an individual in obtaining accommodations for work or school Determine the patient’s clinical baseline (status at the beginning of their treatment) enabling their progress to be tracked throughout their treatment plan Quantify a patient’s symptoms in comparison to other individuals within their demographic (age and gender)

Psychological assessment can be particularly imperative when a patient’s diagnosis remains unclear even after their self-reported symptoms and psychiatric history. The assessment process is often used to look for/at: Clinical diagnoses, such as depression, Bipolar Disorder or anxiety ADHD Career decisions Cognitive functioning/memory Intelligence Learning Disabilities Personality Autism Spectrum Disorders Psychological assessment is typically not covered by insurance and thereby an out-of-pocket cost. It is the patient’s responsibility to call and verify coverage with their individual insurance company. Understanding Diagnostic Screening: Psychological screening may take anywhere from 2 to 4 hours. The screening battery may include computerized and/or paper/pencil assessments. Clinicians may also ask the patient’s spouse, parent, or other individual to fill out one or more screening tools on behalf of the patient (with the patient’s permission). Screening is typically recommended in the following situations: Metric assessment is needed in order to quantify symptoms of mood, anxiety, sleep, substance use, and other related conditions Previous treatment has been unsuccessful for a patient, indicating that there could be additional undiagnosed concerns The clinician needs to verify consistency within the patient’s self-report

Clinicians

Amanda Moar Kerbawy BA
Karen Donoughe MS, MA, LPC, NCC
Kathy Pritchard MA, LPC
Kathy Tessmar L.M.S.W., Clincial Research Coordinator
Melissa Oleshansky PhD, LP.
Simon Levinson MA, LLP