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ADHD Assessments

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"If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will spend its whole life believing it is stupid."

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- commonly attributed to Albert Einstein, but the actual author is unknown

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Even though that isn't really an Albert Einstein quote, it's still useful in thinking about ADHD diagnoses. Undiagnosed ADHDers have commonly believed we are not smart, lazy, clumsy, bad at being on time, lazy for sleeping in... We have heard so many of these things, and taken them to heart, which has affected our self-esteem.

 

But all of these things are actually attributed to ADHD! Getting an ADHD diagnosis can empower us to release all of the negative talk that slipped its way into our self-talk, and begin to start loving ourselves. Having the ADHD diagnosis can also allow us to learn helpful life tips that work for us, instead of against us. ADHDers live in a world that wasn't created for us - But with information about how our brains work, we can set up our environment, our schedules, and our routines to work for us!

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One last point, before getting into how this process works. You do not need to share your diagnosis with anyone. You can share it with anyone you choose, but it will only be shared with those you choose.

 

Getting an ADHD diagnosis with me does not put you on any list anywhere.

 

I will follow proper documentation rules, and document your appointment and diagnosis in my health record system, but those notes can only be accessed by a judge with a subpoena. If you use your insurance, there is a chance of others seeing your diagnosis, and that is something for you to decide if you want to do. I will also assess for other diagnoses, such as anxiety and depression.

 

If you pay by credit card, your billing statement will say "Empowering Therapy PLLC. It will not say ADHD assessment. After the assessment, I will write you a letter so you have documentation of your results for yourself, and anyone you choose to share it with (i.e. medication provider, school, workplace). I adhere to all HIPPA guidelines and will not share it with anyone. You are the only one who decides who gets to see your ADHD evaluation letter.

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I'm an ADHDer, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, and an ADHD Certified Clinical Services Provider (ADHD-CCSP). I know how hard it can be to get an ADHD assessment, and how validating it feels to finally get one! I am so excited that I can now offer these to people! I can also now offer ADHD coaching!

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I can offer ADHD assessments to people 13 ages and up in Washington state or Florida, where I am licensed.

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Here is the process for how I administer ADHD Assessment Evaluations:

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Scheduling

 

1. Begin by taking a deep breath! You have started your path toward diagnosis! First, read through all of this information and see how it resonates with you. Feel free to email me with any questions at counselor@katemageau.com 

 

Then, when you are ready, you can book an appointment with me on the scheduling tool at the bottom of this page.

 

All ADHD Assessment Evaluations will be two hours, with a 2 minute break to stand up in the middle. ADHD Assessments will be offered on Mondays 3:30-5:30, and Thursdays, 10-12, 12:30-2:30 pm or 3-5 pm.​  *In April I have 2 Wednesdays available!*

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If you need an ADHD Assessment Evaluation prior to the availability you see, please send me an email and I will see what we can do. 

 

Cost of ADHD Assessments / Evaluation

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2. The total cost of the ADHD assessment and evaluation is $525.

 

This is my rate of $175 billed for 3 hours. The appointment is two hours, and it takes me one hour to formulate your results and write your letter.

 

The cost of the letter, $175, is due at the time of booking. I cannot bill your insurance company for the letter or time it takes me to write the letter.

 

The fee of the assessment and evaluation, $350, is due at the time of the session, or you can pay one half at the time of the session and the other half one week later.

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ADHD Assessment Evaluation Letter

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3. The letter will include all of your results, which you can send to medication providers, schools, and workplaces (if you want).

 

I will send the letter approximately one week after the session. Please send me an email if you need the letter sooner than that.

 

This letter is also important for you! It lets you know whether or not you have ADHD, and/or other relevant diagnoses.

 

You can also use this letter to prove to friends and family what you have suspected, and to have that validation and satisfaction of knowing how your unique brain works. The feeling of having this confirmation is worth the assessment for many people.

 

Most medication providers, schools, and workplaces will accept this letter for your medication and accommodation needs. However, it is up to you to verify that they will accept an ADHD Assessment letter from a therapist with a Master's degree, and if they have any specifications they require in the letter.

 

Please note that this letter with your results is not the same as an accommodation letter. This can be provided in a separate session, billed at my hourly rate.

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Please know that this process does not put you on any lists anywhere. This is information for you, and you decide what you do with it and who else has access to it! :)

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Insurance for ADHD Assessments

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4. I can bill your insurance for the assessment and evaluation if you have Aetna (WA or FL) or Ambetter Coordinated Care (WA only) insurance.

 

You are responsible for determining whether you have a deductible to meet; if you do, I will charge your card for the cost at the time of the session. 

 

​If I am not billing Aetna or Ambetter Coordinated Care, I will send you a superbill you can send to your insurance company to try to get reimbursement. I cannot guarantee that your insurance company will provide reimbursement. 

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Difference between ADHD Assessment / Evaluation and Psychological Evaluation

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5. ​The average cost for a psychologist to assess for ADHD is $4,000, and includes 3-4 hours of testing and an additional 10-12 hours billed for compiling results and producing the letter.

 

The average wait time is six months to a year and a half.

 

Comprehensive psychological evaluations include assessing for ADHD, Autism, learning disabilities, and other diagnoses.

 

I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, and so I do more focused assessments, and I typically have availability within a couple of weeks.

 

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Prior to the ADHD Assessment

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6. I will confirm your appointment and send you the intake package within 24 hours of receiving the appointment booking, Monday through Thursday.

 

If you do not receive a confirmation email from me with your appointment link and link to the paperwork within 2 days of booking, please email me at counselor@katemageau.com to make sure I got it! 

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It is your responsibility to complete all of the therapy paperwork and self-administered screeners prior to 24 hours of the appointment time.

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If you do not complete all the paperwork before then, I will assume you are not able to show up and I will cancel your appointment.

 

The cost of the letter ahead of time also functions as a way to hold your appointment time and as a no-show fee if you do not show up.

 

If you do not show up, you will have one opportunity to reschedule and attend your appointment.

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   a. The pre-assessment screeners in the therapy paperwork include:

          1. PTSD Checklist for DSM5, PCL-5, for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

          2. General Anxiety Disorder, GAD-7, for Generalized Anxiety

          3. Patient Health Questionnaire, PHQ 9, for Major Depressive Disorder

          4. Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale, YBOCS, for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

          5. Autism Quotient-10, AQ 10, for Autism Spectrum Disorder

          6. Adult ADHD Self-Report Symptom Checklist, ASRS-v1.1

          7. Audit C-Plus 3, for substance abuse

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Confirming the  ADHD Assessment Appointment

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​7. When you book the session, it will send me an email to approve the appointment. The website will automatically send the first email saying you booked it. (All times are in Pacific Standard Time). ​

 

Once I approve the appointment, the website will send you a second email with your link to Google Meet. I will meet you on Google Meet for your assessment! ​

 

Please check your spam folders for the second confirmation email, which has the link to meet. If you do not receive the second email with a link within two days before the appointment, please send me an email and I will send it to you again. Please have your camera and microphone on at the appointment.

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At the ADHD Assessment Evaluation

 

8. At the ADHD assessment evaluation, I will administer the following assessments:

         1. Mental Health Biopsychosocial Assessment, done in a therapeutically validating and affirming way

         2. DIVA-5 Diagnostic Interview for ADHD

         3. Copeland System Checklist

         4. Wender Utah Rating Scale for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

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Receiving your ADHD Assessment letter

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9. Approximately one week after the session, or before, I will send you a letter detailing your assessment results.

 

You can use this letter to send to medication providers and universities or workplaces. I will only send you the letter once the fee has been paid in full.

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Discussing ADHD Assessment Results

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10. If you want a second session to discuss your assessment results, you can email me at counselor@katemageau.com to schedule that. All sessions are booked for 50-minutes and billed at my hourly rate of $175. I am also available for ADHD coaching! Please inquire if this is something that interests you. :)

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Thank you! I look forward to meeting you! Here's to happy, healthy, ADHDers with support! :) 

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​For any questions, please email me at counselor@katemageau.com 

For additional resources about ADHD, please see my suggested books on ADHD and Autism; and follow me on Bluesky and Threads!

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