1. When should I think about referring my child for an evaluation?
We all learn in different ways and at different rates. There are times when a child or adolescent will seemingly do well in school and other times when they will show signs of struggle. These “ups and downs” in performance can be typical and can occur for a variety of reasons (e.g., being challenged by new subject matter, teaching style, confidence). While a “dip” in your child’s performance can be unsettling, it is not immediate cause for evaluation. Evaluations are typically sought out when concerns are more pervasive (e.g., impact across subjects or within an entire subject area) and/or longstanding (have occurred over a long period of time). Additionally, you may notice that you are not the only one aware of the concern, but your child or teen seems distressed by it and others (e.g., teachers, school administrators) may be sharing their concerns as well.
2. What if I have mild concerns or a specific concern with my child’s learning but do not need a full evaluation?
If your concerns with your child’s learning are mild and/or you have only a specific concern (e.g., takes hours to complete homework), you may want to schedule a learning consultation wherein I can meet with you, review records, and offer suggestions to address your concern.
3. I see that you require an initial consultation prior to any testing. If I am sure that I want an evaluation, why would I need a consultation?
A parent consultation allows me to fully understand your concerns and your hoped-for outcomes from an evaluation. It also allows me to review any records that you provide to me in advance of our consultation, so that I can provide you with options regarding how you might best proceed.
4. How much does an evaluation cost?
The fees for testing will vary based upon the concern. Any fees will be described to you BEFORE you sign any testing consent and there will not be any hidden fees or added costs once a fee is agreed upon.
5. Do you accept insurance?
I do not currently participate with any insurance carrier however, I am able to provide you with an invoice that you can submit to your insurance provider for possible reimbursement. Please note that many psychoeducational evaluation services are NOT covered by insurance as evaluations of suspected learning disability are available to you at no charge by your school district.
6. Do you have a sliding scale option available?
To ensure that parents and families who are otherwise unable to afford an evaluation are able to access services, I allocate two days per month to provide reduced fee consultations and screenings. Please note that participating in such services is based upon referral and is limited to financial need and availability. If your ability to pay a full fee is a concern, please discuss this with me and I will do my best to schedule you for a reduced fee session. Please note that wait times for an appointment may be longer for clients on this schedule.
7. I have heard that my school can provide a free evaluation. How is a private evaluation different?
Schools are required to evaluate children who are suspected as having a learning disability or other educational disability. A school-based evaluation will consist of those tests and measures deemed relevant by the district to evaluate your referral concern. While such evaluations can provide important information and contain information that can be used to inform intervention planning, many schools will focus on eligibility determination (e.g., does the child have a learning difference that rises to the level of a disability?). A private evaluation is able to answer clinical questions that can move beyond whether the evaluation suggests a specific learner disorder/disability and can offer information regarding why a child is struggling and how to intervene. This is not to say that your district will not/cannot offer the same type of information, but these questions do not always form the primary focus.
8. I see that you work collaboratively with schools and/or other professionals. Will I have the ability to request (or decline) a collaborative approach?
There are times when I will receive referrals that I deem to be most appropriately addressed by another professional entirely, such as referring a child with a history of traumatic brain injury to a neurologist for a more specialized assessment that I cannot provide. At other times, I may suggest a collaborative approach wherein I will work directly with another trusted professional or will consult with others (e.g., school staff, neurologists, neuropsychologists) to provide you or your child with the most comprehensive information to serve your child. Please note that with the exception of reading readiness screenings which are designed to be delivered collaboratively by Drs. Mascolo and Young, you have the ability to request (or decline) a collaborative approach.
9. Since two professionals (Drs. Mascolo and Young) are involved in collaborative reading readiness screenings, will I pay twice the amount for an evaluation?
No, reading readiness evaluations are offered to students (Pre-K to 1st grade) within the context of a collaborative model and carry one fee.
Supporting Learners. Improving Outcomes.