Services for Assessment of Adult Autism

Services for Assessment of Child & Adolescent Autism

EVALUATE
helps parents understand their children

Have you started asking the question: 'Is my child Autistic?' Do you want an assessment of Autism that will help you answer this question so that you can better understand your child's experiences , and help you identify how to best support and advocate for your child in the future? We can help.

Child and Adolescent Autism Assessments

We offer three types of Autism assessments to children and adolescents aged 2.5 to 19:

The first type is the Under Five - Diagnostic Autism Assessment
The second type is the Option One - Diagnostic Autism Assessment
The third type is the Option Two - Comprehensive Autism Assessment

Options One, Two and Three are all focused on assessing autism. All involve autism specific interview and testing techniques. They differ in the extent to which they also include additional neurocognitive testing.

Dr. Heiner requires information about your child's neurocognitive functioning when she conducts an autism assessment so that she can consider and rule out alternative explanations for your child's differences, consider additional diagnoses / issues that may be impacting upon your child's functioning, and so forth. The Under 5 – Diagnostic Autism Assessment and the Option Two - Comprehensive Autism Assessment include this additional neurocognitive testing.

The above said, if neurocognitive testing has recently been conducted for your child by someone else (e.g., as part of a psychoeducational assessment), then Dr. Heiner recognizes that she may not need to repeat this testing. In order to reduce costs for families she is willing to rely on the previous neurocognitive testing conducted by someone else. In these situations, Dr. Heiner offers the Option One - Diagnostic Autism Assessment.

Under 5 Years Old Option – Diagnostic Autism Assessment + Cognitive Testing

This is the primary autism assessment conducted at Evaluate for children aged 2.5 to 4. This option includes testing of your child's cognitive abilities, as well as a diagnostic assessment of autism. If your child is aged 2.5 to 4 and has not undergone any previous testing by a psychologist, then this is the option for you.

For an Under 5 - Diagnostic Autism Assessment there are four sessions required in total:

Initial consultation for parents (3.5 hours).
This appointment is conducted virtually, usually via Zoom.
Assessment session for your child / adolescent (up to 2 hours). This takes place in-person at our office in North Vancouver, British Columbia (B.C.).
Assessment session for your child / adolescent (up to 2.5 hours). This takes place in-person at our office in North Vancouver, British Columbia (B.C.).
Feedback session for parents (60 mins).
This appointment is conducted virtually, usually via Zoom.

Outside of the above appointments, your registered psychologist will spend another 8 - 10 hours of professional time on your child's assessment, reviewing records and background history, collecting information from day care providers / teachers, scoring and analyzing test results, and / or writing your child's report.

Child and Adolescent Autism Diagnostic Assessment (Option 1)

If your child has undergone a comprehensive psychoeducational assessment in the recent past (e.g., in the last 6 months to 1 year for younger children or the last 1 to 2 years for older children) and you can produce a copy of that psycho-educational assessment report, then this option may be for you. This assessment option is designed only to assess whether a child meets diagnostic criteria for autism and it can be chosen when information is already available about your child's neurocognitive functioning (e.g., in the form of a psychoeducational assessment).

For an Option 1 - Autism Assessment there are three sessions required in total:

Initial consultation for parents (3.5 hours).
This appointment is conducted virtually, usually via Zoom.
Assessment session for your child / adolescent (up to 4 hours). This takes place in-person at our office in North Vancouver, British Columbia (B.C.).
Feedback session for parents (60 to 90 mins).
This appointment is conducted virtually, usually via Zoom.

Outside of the above appointments, your registered psychologist will spend another 10 - 12 hours of professional time on your child's assessment, reviewing records and background history, collecting information from teachers and other professionals, scoring and analyzing test results, and / or writing your child's report.

Comprehensive Child and Adolescent Autism Assessment (Option 2)

This is the primary autism assessment conducted at Evaluate for children aged 5 to 19. This option includes testing of your child's cognitive, academic, learning and memory, executive, adaptive functions, as well as a diagnostic assessment of autism, so you can think of it as being similar to an Autism Assessment + Psychoeducational Assessment. If your child is aged 5 to 19 and has not undergone any previous testing by a psychologist, then this is the option for you.

For an Option 2 Autism Assessment there are four sessions required in total:

Initial consultation for parents (3.5 hours).
This appointment is conducted virtually, usually via Zoom.
Assessment session for your child / adolescent (up to 5 hours). This takes place in-person at our office in North Vancouver, British Columbia (B.C.).
Assessment session for your child / adolescent (up to 4 hours). This takes place in-person at our office in North Vancouver, British Columbia (B.C.).
Feedback session for parents (60 to 90 mins).
This appointment is conducted virtually, usually via Zoom.

The Assessment Journey

To get started, fill out an application below. We use the application process to make sure that we're a good fit for you. Once your application is approved, your child will go on our waitlist for an assessment. When we reach your child's name on the waitlist, we'll contact you to start the assessment process!

Why Pay for An Autism Assessment with Evaluate?

At Evaluate, we believe that we offer more than many other psychology clinics when it comes to providing Autism assessments. Here's what is different about EVALUATE:

We offer strengths-based, neurodiversity affirmative assessments. What this means is that assessments are conducted in a kind, safe, and accepting space where strengths and differences are celebrated, and this is reflected in neurodiversity affirmative feedback and reports.
We view Autism as a natural form of human variation. Brains come in varieties. No two brains are alike. There is no better or worse. Autism from our perspective is part of human biodiversity and on an individual level is an inherent part of a person’s identity. We believe that disability typically results from a poor fit between a person and their environment, and thus we offer individual recommendations that are aimed at helping Autistic children and adolescents to be their authentic self in a way that is functional in their life.
We are known for assessing both ‘frank’ and ‘hard to spot’ presentations of Autism.
When you come for an Autism assessment at Evaluate, you and your child will be seen by a fully registered psychologist with postgraduate training and extensive experience in the assessment of Autism and other neurodevelopmental differences.
At some clinics, psychological and other forms of assistants are employed to take histories and administer testing, which a psychologist later reviews in order to inform their diagnosis. At Evaluate, you and your child won't be passed around from person to person. An administrative assistant will schedule your child's assessment, administer intake paperwork, request records from you, and handle payment. All other aspects of the assessment will be conducted by your psychologist.
Autism assessments can vary widely. Many Autism assessments in British Columbia involve only the ADI-R (structured parent interview) and ADOS-2 (semi-structured observation system conducted with child). Our assessments are comprehensive. They not only include the ADI-R and ADOS-2, but also:

Collection of a developmental and family history;
Record review, including report cards, previous psychoeducational assessment reports, other assessment reports (e.g., occupational therapy reports, speech-language therapy reports), home videos, and / or other relevant records (e.g., medical records from your child's pediatrician).
Unstructured parent interview;
Standardized parent measures;
Autism-specific testing with your child (Option 1 & Option 2 Autism Assessments) and neurocognitive testing with your child (Option 2 Autism assessments only).
Unstructured observation of your child and unstructured interaction with your child;
Semi-structured and / or unstructured interview with your child;
If needed, teacher interview and teacher measures.

We take time and care to distinguish between different diagnoses (as well as to identify contributory factors that may not be ‘diagnosable’) that present with similar experiences and behaviours. Our families tell us that they are grateful for the time and care put into their child’s assessment.
We value a fast turnaround time on written reports, and as such we will have your child’s report ready on the same day as your parent feedback appointment.
You'll receive a focused, well written report that is designed for practical purposes and written for the lay person to understand. It won't contain pages upon pages of unnecessary detail.
You'll receive recommendations that are personalized and specific.

What are the Pros and Cons of an Assessment?

Parents sometimes ask what the pros and cons of an autism assessments are. There are many potential benefits to a psychological assessment. Assessment can help a child understand themselves and their needs better. It can provide a child with the language that they need to develop a positive sense of self, especially when they have felt 'different' since a young age but haven't known why. Assessment can also provide a child with a better understanding of past stressful life events and situations. Assessment can empower a child to self-advocate, which can lead to increased understanding and reduced judgment from others. Furthermore, psychological assessment can sometimes help a child identify and feel comfortable accessing peer support from communities of children who have similar characteristics, experiences, strengths, and differences.

For parents, psychological assessment can potentially help them develop a better understanding of their child, and also help them identify how to support their child better. It can sometimes provide an explanation for some of the challenges that parents and children have faced. It can also help parents to understand that unique characteristics and differences are not the fault of bad parenting nor the fault of a child, but rather naturally occurring differences that are accompanied by strengths. Psychological assessment can result in increased understanding and less judgment from others. It can also enable parents to access appropriate support services, educational resources, funding and community programs. This, in turn, can facilitate access to accommodations, skill development, reduced parental stress, and increased autonomy.

Psychological assessment typically presents a relatively low risk to participants. Nevertheless, it is possible that parents / caregivers and children may feel anxious about being “tested”. Further, undergoing a psychological assessment may involve discussing unpleasant aspects of a parent's and / or a child’s life, and may lead to unanticipated results and / or conclusions that a parent or child finds to be discomforting. Receiving a diagnosis can bring the challenge of facing social stigma. Receiving a diagnosis can also result in strong emotions like relief, grief, and frustration. Furthermore, it can lead to questions about when to share the diagnosis, with whom, and how.

Another inherent risk in psychological assessment is that there can be no guarantees about the outcome of an assessment. There is no guarantee that a child will receive the diagnosis that their parent is seeking. Similarly, there is no guarantee that a psychological assessment will result in any diagnosis nor that an assessment will be able to identify definitive explanations for a child’s behaviour and experiences. This can result in a parent and or child experiencing ongoing doubts about the causes of a child's difficulties or differences. Similarly, there is no guarantee that an assessment report will result in accommodations, supports, or provision of other services. Access to accommodations, funding, and other supports is decided by the organizations or agencies (e.g., schools) that provide them.

Will Insurance Reimburse Me for My Child's Assessment?

We are often asked if Autism assessments are covered under private insurance plans, but we do not have access to this information. Services may be covered in full or in part by your health insurance. Please check with your insurance provider to see if you have coverage.

Please note that we do not bill directly to insurance providers. Clients pay fees directly to us, receive a receipt, and they may submit that receipt for reimbursement to their insurance provider, should it be a covered service.

How to Get Started

Please complete the application form below if you would like Dr. Heiner to conduct an Autism assessment for your child or adolescent (age 5 to 19). Note: this application form is not for adults (aged 19+) seeking Autism assessments.