You’ve sought out an evaluation for yourself, your child, or your loved one, and the initial intake or consultation appointment is coming up, but you aren’t sure what to expect. This article will help give you an idea about what to expect and also give you some suggestions for questions you should ask yourself and your evaluation professional. The exact structure of intake appointments may vary between agencies, but there are absolutely specific things you should expect.
Expect to fill out forms
Like a doctor’s appointment, often at an initial intake appointment for testing, you will need to fill out client intake forms, sign acknowledgements of office procedures, and sign a billing agreement. If you are going to an office that bills insurance, be prepared to provide additional information about your coverage. You will likely be provided with specific information about your rights to confidentiality as well as limits to these rights. Before beginning any sort of evaluation, the provider is required to document your informed consent for the evaluation, and this might occur at the beginning of the meeting, or it might occur after initial discussion.
You might also be given lengthier forms to fill out prior to the initial meeting, such as a developmental history for yourself or your child. Some evaluators like to have this information completed prior to the meeting in order to streamline the process and allow them to prepare more effectively to meet with you. If this is the case, they might go into the intake appointment having already reviewed your information, and they will be ready to ask you follow up questions about what you have reported.
Expect to have an intake interview with an evaluation professional
Even if you submitted information ahead of time, be prepared for the evaluator to ask in-depth follow up questions. It is essential for the evaluator to collect ample information before they begin testing.
While some providers like to collect a broad range of information prior to the initial appointment, other evaluators prefer to collect this information in person via an interview, which can be more flexible and allows for them to respond to your body language throughout the interview.
Be prepared to be asked lots of in depth questions about a broad range of topics, such as social history, developmental milestones, current concerns, and medical and educational history. These questions can sometimes be difficult to answer. Take your time--it is okay to feel somewhat overwhelmed when answering these questions. If you do not remember to say everything during the initial appointment, you should have opportunity to provide additional information later in the testing process.
What to do prior to the initial meeting
Think about how to describe the concerns that are leading you to seek this evaluation:
Do you have specific questions about your or your child’s functioning in a specific area, such as concerns about possible ADHD, autism, or dyslexia?
Do you want updated information about strengths and weaknesses?
Are you looking for accommodations at college or on standardized tests?
Are you seeking a second opinion after you or your child was evaluated at school or another agency?
Were you referred by someone specific, such as a physician or therapist?
All of these reasons will shape the way that the evaluator collects information and provides your results, so make sure to spend some time thinking about what you want when the process is over. It might to help to jot down your specific goals and concerns you have for testing.
Gather any documents you have that might be relevant to your referral concerns or evaluation.
The evaluator might provide you with a specific list of documents to bring to the appointment, but if not, be prepared to make sure that you are getting the best value and most productive use from your initial appointment.
Make sure to bring any previous evaluation reports or results, even if they aren’t psychological. For example, bring any speech therapy, occupational therapy, feeding therapy, or physical therapy reports, if applicable.
If you or your child has an accommodation plan, service plan, or educational program from any agency, be sure to bring documents related to that.
If you or your child is receiving services from another agency (e.g., tutoring or speech, occupational, or feeding therapy), gather up any progress notes that you have related to these services. If you or your child previously received services but has been dismissed or graduated from services, bring any case closeout or summary notes.
If you are seeking accommodations from a specific agency (e.g., testing board; university disability office) and the agency provided you with any guidelines, be sure to bring those.
Think about follow up questions about cost, timelines, and expectations.
It helps to think about the questions you need to ask the evaluator prior to your meeting. It might help you to write down these questions, so you are sure to make sure that you get the answers you need. Some questions might include:
- How much will the evaluation cost? When are you expected to furnish payment, and how is payment accepted? Is insurance accepted? If not, are they willing to provide you with documents that you can submit to insurance for reimbursement?
How long will the evaluation take? How many sessions do they expect to need? What will the structure of the assessment sessions be like? Are they willing to work with you to make sure that you or your child are being assessed at the most ideal time of day?
What type of report will be provided? How long after the final evaluation session will it take to receive the report? Are they willing to provide a report that will meet your needs (e.g., if you are seeking ACT or SAT accommodations or accommodations via a university disability office)?
It can be stressful not to know what to expect at something as important as an initial evaluation intake meeting. This stress is only compounded by long wait times and confusing jargon. Hopefully this article has given you an idea about some things to expect at your intake appointment and also given you some ideas on how you can prepare for your appointment.
If you have any other specific questions about what to expect at an initial intake appointment, we are happy to provide you with any additional information you might need to alleviate any anxiety and help you feel prepared!
Reach out to us in the comments or at info@nashvilleassessment.com