Comprehensive Autism Evaluations
In mental health, our understanding of Autism Spectrum Disorders has been evolving. The stereotypical presentation of savant white males, such as Sheldon Cooper, Dr. Shaun Cooper, or Dustin Hoffman’s Rainman, is outdated! We are learning more and more about the autistic presentation in diverse populations including women, LGBTQIA+ communities, and BIPOC individuals.
Autistic individuals often present with core symptoms which can vary drastically in how they present. There are two main categories:
- Persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across contexts
- Restricted repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities
Many people who have concerns about autism experience significant difficulty initiating interactions with others, feel socially awkward, struggle to understand nonverbal communication and maintain conversations with others, prefer to be alone, and have few close relationships. Problems with transitions, sensory differences, repetitive behaviors or speech, and restricted interests are also common challenges. Plus, Autistic individuals often have co-occurring mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, or ADHD which complicate life even further!
If you are struggling with some of these problems, you already know day-to-day life can be impossible to navigate. You may feel the smallest things take so much work and you have to put extra effort into appearing “normal”. The intense emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion keeps you stuck and unable to do things that are important to you!
About Autism Evaluations at GBHC
Unfortunately, there is a limited number of professionals who specialize in understanding and evaluating the diverse presentation of Autism. At GBHC, Dr. Ritchie has worked with individuals in the autistic community for over 15 years and has 10 years of experience in psychological evaluations. She commits to providing evaluations where clients feel validated and respected, enabling them to find the right diagnosis with confidence.
At GBHC, our autism evaluations assess multiple areas of psychological functioning so we can get a full picture of you or your child’s functioning. Think of the evaluation process as a puzzle. We gather multiple pieces of information and use each piece to form a complete picture of what’s going on to help you better understand how you or your child’s strengths, weaknesses, personality characteristics, environmental factors, and relationships are impacting day to day life.
Our evaluations are comprehensive and assess for other mental health conditions, such as anxiety, depression, trauma, learning disorders, or ADHD, which may be contributing to your challenges as well. Therefore, our evaluations do not just assess for autism! Our goal is to prevent misdiagnosis so we can provide the appropriate recommendations for your individual needs. Many times people suffer from more than one mental health condition so the evaluation will also help you understand how different challenges may interact with each other. While everyone will not leave our office with a diagnosis of Autism, we want you to leave with a better understanding of who you are!
What should I expect during an evaluation at GBHC?
Let’s think of the evaluation as a puzzle. We need to gather multiple pieces of information to have a complete picture of you or your child at the end of the process. There are multiple steps in the process with some of them happening “behind the scenes”.
🧩 One hour virtual appointment with client or parents
🧩 4-6 hour office-based testing appointment. Most appointments include multiple assessment measures such as cognitive, learning, executive functioning, and social-emotional. We conduct child interviews during this appointment.
🧩 Parents, teachers, and/or a trusted loved one complete measures to provide additional information
🧩 Follow up interviews and measures as needed
🧩 Record review and consultation with other professionals (e.g. therapists)
🧩 Scoring and interpretation of results and preparation of the report
🧩 Feedback session to review the results, diagnoses, and recommendations
🧩 Follow up with family and providers as needed
At the end of the evaluation, our goal is to put the pieces together so you better understand you or your child. The pieces come together and things start to make sense. You aren’t grasping for straws anymore because you know how certain behaviors link together and why they happen.
You not only know why but also now have a map to help navigate your journey moving forward. The recommendation section of the report will connect you with medical and therapeutic services, provide strategies to use at home, identify ways to obtain accommodations at work or school, resources to learn more about autism or other diagnoses, and tools which may be useful in your daily life.
Pricing
Pricing is straightforward. The cost of the evaluation is $3000. This fee includes EVERYTHING! There are no hidden costs or charges!
We split the cost between three payments over several weeks. Your first payment is due at the time of scheduling to reserve your appointment. The second payment is due at the in-person testing appointment and the third payment is due at the final feedback session.
How do I schedule?
The easiest way to schedule your evaluation is to book a free consult call. During this call, we will gather some basic information, discuss your needs, answer any questions you might have, and book your appointment. On this call, we will schedule your initial interview and in-person testing appointments. We will schedule the final feedback session during your in-person testing appointment. You can also call the office and we will return your call as soon as possible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you accept insurance or offer a sliding fee scale for assessments?
We do not currently accept any insurance for assessments. Sliding fee assessments are offered when slots become available. If you are interested in applying for a sliding fee assessment slot, please contact our office for an application. HSA and FSA payments are accepted. A superbill to submit to your insurance for out-of-network benefits can also be provided by our office.
What type of testing is included in the assessment?
We do a variety of testing measures but this varies from person to person. Generally our evaluations include cognitive (IQ), learning, executive functioning, and social-emotional assessments. We do not rely on one measure in our evaluations to make a diagnosis. Each measure is a piece of the puzzle.
Do you use the ADOS-2 as part of the assessment?
We do not use the ADOS-2. Instead, we use a similar measure which has better sensitivity for assessing autism in more diverse populations. Some insurance providers will only reimburse for applied behaviors analysis (ABA) services if the evaluation includes an ADOS-2. It is important to check with your insurance if you plan to seek these services following an evaluation.
How long is the waitlist?
Our office does not maintain a waitlist. New assessment clients are usually scheduled within approximately 4-6 weeks from the time they contact our office for their first appointment.
Do you diagnose autism in adults?
Yes. Our autism evaluations are appropriate for both children (ages 4+) and adults. We have worked with many adults who do not receive a diagnosis until adulthood.
Can evaluations be done virtually?
Evaluations can be done virtually for individuals 16 years old or older who live more than 90 minutes outside St. Louis. Our office will ask questions to determine if a virtual assessment is appropriate based on your comfort level with technology and internet connection during a consultation call.
What if I’ve had an evaluation before and was not diagnosed with Autism?
If you’ve already had an evaluation and are seeking a second opinion we can help with this as well! Unfortunately, many mental health providers still do not have the training to assess the diverse presentation of ASD. We may ask for some information from the previous assessment to ensure our evaluation still provides a valid reflection of your symptoms and current functioning. Unfortunately, misdiagnosis occurs but our goal is to eliminate any confusion and help you access the right treatments!
Schedule your Consultation Call Now!
Schedule your free consultation call and book an evaluation appointment with our office. During this call, we will gather some basic information, discuss your needs, answer any questions you might have, and book your appointment. Don’t keep trying to put the pieces together alone!
Book Initial Consult Let’s Chat